Pocket Full of Magic
by DrarryLover4Ever
Summary: Instead of getting cursed by Draco in Myrtle's bathroom, Harry suggests they talk. Surprisingly, Draco agrees. However, their budding friendship cannot be known for obvious reasons. Draco creates a magical pocket that allows Harry and Draco to converse without anyone knowing. Follow the two as their friendship blossoms and changes into something more. 6th, 7th, 8th year.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: As promised at the end of Stormy Gray Eyes, another story from me. It is currently at 14 chapters with much more to go. Enjoy!**

 **Summary: Instead of getting cursed by Draco in Myrtle's bathroom, Harry suggests they talk. Surprisingly, Draco agrees. However, their budding friendship cannot be known for obvious reasons. Draco creates a magical pocket that allows Harry and Draco to converse without anyone knowing. Follow the two as their friendship blossoms and changes into something more.**

 **Disclaimer: Obviously, I'm not JK Rowling so these are not my characters. I'm just using them for fun :). This story takes place briefly through sixth and seventh year before moving on to eighth year and since it's a Drarry story, it doesn't quite follow how Deathly Hallows ended.**

Harry stared across the Great Hall, wondering for what seemed like the thousandth time, what was wrong with Draco. Ever since the beginning of sixth year, Harry had been watching Draco, especially after what he witnessed in Diagon Alley and when Draco had stunned him and broken his nose. At first, he suspected that Draco was up to no good, as usual, but now, as the year went on, he knew he was up to something, but he could also see the toll it was taking on him. It made Harry feel sorry for him which was definitely a foreign feeling.

The year had been rather strange. Harry had secret lessons with Dumbledore and the more and more he learned, the more scared he became of his role in the war. He also sensed that Dumbledore was hiding something from him, which wasn't anything abnormal, but this time it seemed much more worrisome than usual. Harry noticed that Dumbledore's hand was rather black and that he had a ring on that he hadn't seen before.

Harry went back to watching Draco. He used to try and hide it, but lately he seemed to not care if anyone saw him staring. He really needed to know what was going on with him. He watched as Pansy continued to babble at Draco, whom was staring down at his plate, pushing his food around, and not hearing a word she said. Finally, Draco appeared to growl almost before he got up from the table and stormed from the Great Hall. Harry watched him for just a moment before he mumbled some excuse and followed after him. He maintained visual on him, but didn't get so close as to get caught.

He watched curiously as Draco made his way to Myrtle's bathroom. Made sense, no one ever used that bathroom. He watched as Draco entered. He waited for a moment before he followed him in there. He was being very reckless. He had no idea what Draco was going through and had no idea what to expect when he happened upon him.

Harry walked in carefully, placing his wand at his side, ready to bring it up if needed. He glanced around, trying to see where Draco was. He heard water running so he turned to look at the sinks and his eyes met teary gray eyes in the mirror. For a moment, they just stared at each other. Harry wanted to say something, anything, but he was at a loss for words once he saw the tortured look and the tears streaming down his nemesis's cheeks.

Harry stepped in further, letting the door close behind him. Draco continued to stare at him, but then his eyes narrowed and he whipped around, flinging a curse in Harry's direction. Harry threw up a shield and rolled out of the way, taking cover behind a wall. Curses continued flying towards him and Harry moved around, trying to avoid being hit.

"Malfoy! Please!" Harry called out, nearly begging.

Draco came around the corner and pointed his wand at Harry. He was breathing heavily and Harry pointed his wand at Draco in defense. "What in the hell are you doing in here?" Draco demanded angrily.

Harry gulped. "I just want to talk to you," he said quietly.

A look of surprise passed over Draco's features, but immediately, he looked suspicious. "You're lying," he said darkly.

Harry shook his head. He gulped again and took a deep breath. He let his wand drop to his side and then he placed it into his pocket, showing how serious he was. "I want to talk to you," he repeated, honesty bleeding in his words and apparent in his eyes.

Draco faltered, and dropped his wand ever so slightly. "Why?" he questioned quietly.

"I can see that you're dealing with an enormous task that you don't want to deal with. I can see what it's doing to you. I just want you to be able to talk to someone about it. I want to help you," Harry replied.

Draco's bottom lip quivered. How could Harry know him so well? "Why? So you can take whatever I tell you back to Dumbledore?" he demanded, bringing his wand up again and right under Harry's chin.

Harry's insides were twisting and turning in nervousness, but he maintained his outward cool and didn't shudder at the wand that was nearly jabbing him in the neck. "No, I want to just be here, for you. Besides, Dumbledore has a way of knowing things even when you've hidden it. Whatever you're dealing with, he probably knows already," Harry replied quietly, smiling slightly.

Draco's eyes searched his, checking for any dishonesty in them. He saw none. Draco dropped his wand and hung his head. "There is so much…." he trailed off, running a hand through his hair, and stepping back.

Outside, they could hear what sounded like a stampede. Someone must have taken note of the fact that Harry had chased after Draco and knew that the two must have been getting into trouble. Harry frowned, but looked at Draco.

"Forgive me for this, but meet me down at the lake as soon as you can," Harry said as he flicked his wand at Draco's cheek. Draco cried out and reached up for his cheek, blood coming away on his fingers. He glared at Harry and was about to retaliate when Harry turned the wand on himself and cast the same spell. They had identical cuts and now bruised cheeks. Draco smiled slightly at the brilliance of what Harry had just done. They cast a few more well placed "injuries" on themselves before Harry made his way towards the door, the stampeding coming much louder now. "As soon as you can," Harry said once more before he ran through the door and met the throng of students and Snape leading the charge. He clutched at his cheek as he ran past them all. Draco ran out soon after, heading in the same direction, but then splitting off to take another path to the lake. Snape and the students who had come along, stared after the two in surprise. Snape peeked into the bathroom and saw the mess that the two had made in their fight. He narrowed his gaze, cursing his unbreakable vow, and how he needed to hand out detention to the two.

 **XXXX**

Harry arrived first at the lake. He settled beneath a willow that was far enough away from any prying eyes. He hoped that Draco would show. He seemed like he was going to talk to him, but maybe he had changed his mind between their pretend fight and fleeing the bathroom.

Harry sighed and leaned against the willow. He stared out across the lake, wondering what he was going to do once he knew everything he needed to know about destroying Voldemort. There was no doubt in his mind that it was going to be a lot harder than anything else he had dealt with.

After about ten minutes, Harry heard crunching sounds to his right. He turned and saw Draco walking towards him, his head down. Harry smiled slightly, pleased that Draco had decided to come. Harry scrambled up and faced him. Draco looked up at him and Harry winced. "You look awful and I imagine I look awful too," he commented quietly.

Draco smiled slightly and then winced when it pulled at the cut on his cheek. Harry waved his wand, mending the cut so that it was still there, but not nearly as obvious nor sore. Draco did the same for him. They both sat down against the tree. They left their other "injuries" so that people would still think that they had fought.

"I won't say this ever again, but that was brilliant thinking on your part," Draco commented as he gestured to his face.

Harry laughed and shrugged. "Well, I figured that you'd want to keep up with pretenses that we still hate each other and if we had come out of there unscathed, there would be many questions flung our way," he replied.

Draco nodded. "What makes you think I don't still hate you?"

Harry shrugged again. "Maybe you do and that's fine, but it doesn't mean that you still don't need to talk to someone about whatever is bothering you," he pointed out.

Draco sighed and looked out across the lake. "I do want to talk to someone, but I'm so angry about what I have to do, knowing that it's wrong, but unable to do a damn thing about it," he said quietly.

Harry turned to face him a bit more. "What do you have to do?" he asked.

Draco frowned, but turned to face him more as well. "I have to fix a cabinet so that Death Eaters can get into the castle and I have to kill Dumbledore," he whispered, his shame quite evident.

Harry felt his stomach drop and his heart start to pound. He wasn't expecting that at all and he wasn't expecting Draco to give it up so willingly. "Um, wow…." was all he could say. Harry turned away from Draco and looked out over the lake, biting his lip.

"You wanted to know! Dammit! I shouldn't have told you! Merlin, I am so stupid! Now you have every reason to go off and tell Dumbledore and the aurors and anyone else who cares to know! My life was already ruined so I might as well spend it in Azkaban!" Draco exclaimed. He stood up and started to walk away.

Harry scrambled up and jogged up to step into Draco's path. "Malfoy, wait," he said. Draco glared at him, but made no move to get around him.

"I'm sorry. I just had so many different scenarios in my head as to what you were up to and those two were not any of them. I'm sorry. Come back over here and we can talk about this," he soothed.

Draco hung his head and nodded. He turned and went back over to the tree and plopped down, looking weary and tired. Harry sat down next to him. "He's punishing my father," Draco whispered.

"Who?" Harry asked, although he knew the answer without Draco needing to say it.

"The Dark Lord, of course," Draco snarled, not at Harry though.

"Because your father failed to get the prophecy," Harry said, also knowing why his father was being punished.

"Yes. A stupid prophecy that everyone already knew regardless. He thought it would hold some amazing secret as to what would protect him, but it basically just told him that you were the one who was going to kill him," Draco said bitterly.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.." Harry repeated the prophecy that he had heard last year.

Draco stared at him, a chill running through him. "So that means….." he trailed off, unable to voice what it meant. He may not like Harry, but the idea of him dying, did not sit well with him.

"One of us will die," Harry finished the thought for him.

Draco bit his lip and looked away. "We're both between a rock and a hard place," he commented.

Harry chuckled quietly. "Yes, we are. What are you going to do?"

"Fix the cabinet, kill Dumbledore. That's the only thing I can do. Voldemort will kill me and my parents if I don't succeed. I see no way around this. What are you going to do?"

"Honestly, I'm probably going to die," Harry said matter-of-factly.

Draco jerked his head back to look at him. He narrowed his gaze. "You don't have to die," he insisted.

"And you don't have to kill Dumbledore or fix the cabinet," Harry countered.

Draco and Harry stared at each other intently. "I have no choice," they both said at the same time.

They both sighed and turned away from each other. They sat in companionable silence for another half an hour. Somehow, in their brief conversation, a barrier that had been put in place between them since day one of Hogwarts began to crumble away. They were both puppets for the same man, both being used in different ways.

"I think Dumbledore knows," Harry whispered, breaking the silence.

"Snape knows," Draco replied.

They sat for a bit longer in silence. "We should probably head back," Harry commented as he stood. He held out his hand to Draco who stared at it for a moment, before he took it and allowed Harry to help him up.

"Yeah, we should," Draco replied. He shifted his weight, glancing back up at the castle. He didn't want to leave Harry's presence. He found that being around him and talking to him made him feel better. He didn't want to lose out on this connection that they had made.

Harry started to head towards the castle, but then hesitated, turning back to Draco. "Listen, Malfoy, I am glad that you talked to me today and I want you to know that you're safe with me and if you'd like, well, I know I'd like it if….." Harry trailed off, struggling to form the words, suddenly nervous about what Draco would say in response.

"What, Potter?" Draco asked hopefully, already knowing what Harry was struggling to ask because he couldn't remotely form the words himself.

Harry took a deep breath and spoke again. "Can we talk again?" he asked finally.

Draco wanted to smile broadly, but he had to maintain his cool. He smiled slightly and nodded. "I would like that," he said quietly.

Harry nodded, smiling more broadly than Draco. "Great. Excellent."

Draco chuckled quietly. "I have an idea, but I'll owl it to you. I'll see you around, Potter, probably in detention." He walked past Harry, heading up towards the castle. He stopped a few feet away and turned to look at him again. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

"You're welcome," Harry said back. Maybe the year had just gotten more interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you everyone for the follows and reviews. This story is going to move slowly so bear with me. It's good, I promise. I hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

The next morning was a Wednesday and Harry felt better than he had in days, despite what he had learned from Draco. He wondered if he should talk to Dumbledore about it. Maybe he could mention it and see what he knew.

As he sat down at the Gryffindor table and looked across to the Slytherin table, he met Draco's gaze for just a moment. Draco smiled slightly at him, but quickly covered the smile with a forkful of breakfast. He turned his attention somewhat to Pansy and Harry just smiled to himself as he tucked in to his own breakfast.

"What are you smiling about this morning?" Hermione asked as she sat down next to him. Ron sat down across from them, immediately shoveling heaps of food onto his plate. Hermione watched him with disgust, but she also smiled slightly and blushed. Harry rolled his eyes at her reaction to Ron.

"Nothing. I just felt like smiling," he replied nonchalantly. She was about to retort when the post started flying in. Harry looked up, never boring of the sight of all those owls flying in, dropping their packages and letters. It was a wonder that the packages never landed on someone's head or something. They often landed in their food, yes, but never their heads.

He looked up in surprise as an owl dropped something in front of him. It looked like a rolled up parchment so Harry grabbed it and unrolled it. He looked at the item in confusion and then Draco's words from the day before came to mind. This must be his idea he was going to owl him. Harry looked up and across the Great Hall again to see Draco subtly watching him. Harry looked back down at the object and studied it. It almost looked like a pocket. He noticed an opening at the top so he pulled it apart and saw a piece of parchment inside. He opened it and smiled again.

 _The lake holds the answer._

That was all that it said. Harry glanced back over at Draco who was still watching him, but not making it too obvious. Harry assumed that Draco meant for him to head down to the lake to explain what in the world he had sent to him. He nodded slightly and placed the item in his pocket and finished his breakfast. Luckily for him, Hermione was nose deep in the Daily Prophet and Ron was too busy stuffing his face to notice what Harry had received.

"I'm going to take a walk before classes start. Clear my head some," Harry commented quickly before he stood and headed for the door, not waiting for a response from his two friends.

He made his way quickly down to the lake, hoping that Draco saw him leave. When he arrived, he only had to wonder for about three minutes if Draco had seen him or not because he heard a noise behind him and saw Draco walking towards him. Harry smiled, surprising himself with how genuine he felt at seeing him. Draco returned the smile.

"Good, you understood my note," Draco commented as he closed the distance between them.

"Surprisingly, yes. What is this thing?" Harry asked as he pulled the item from his pocket.

Draco took it from him. "It's a magical pocket of sorts. Whatever you put inside it, will go to the person who has the matching pocket," he replied. He handed it back to Harry and retrieved his own. They were identical. They both grinned.

"That's really neat. How does it work?" Harry asked.

"Pick one of your pockets and place it over it. It doesn't have to match the pocket on your pants and actually, you don't even need to have a pocket on the pants for it to work. After you place it in the spot you want it, you say _signati_. That will seal the pocket to wherever you put it and replace the pocket you have or give you a pocket. It can also be hidden so that if you don't want it to be obvious that it's there, it won't be, but you are still able to use it. The spell to hide it is _latet_. Finally, how it works is you put something, anything really, into the pocket and say _mitte gemina_ and it will send whatever you put in there to the twin pocket," Draco explained.

Harry's eyes widened. "Wow, it's even cooler than I thought," he said in awe.

Draco chuckled slightly and Harry found himself liking the sound of it. There was no mirth in it like there usually was. It was nice. Draco must have seen his appreciation as he blushed and cleared his throat. "Um, let's give it a try, okay?" he suggested, trying to be more serious. However, his eyes gave him away. They were bright with wonder and curiosity to see if it would actually work.

Harry nodded. He placed the pocket where he wanted it and said the necessary spell. The pocket all, but disappeared, becoming the original pocket. He looked down at it in curiosity. He looked up at Draco to see him doing the same with his pocket. "Alright, now go stand somewhere else, where I can't see you. I'm going to send something to you and I want you to send it back," he explained.

Harry nodded again and waited until Draco turned his back and then he moved down the shore and behind some brush. He sat on the ground and waited. Suddenly, he felt warmth on his thigh where the pocket was. He looked down, wondering for a moment if Draco was playing some horrible trick on him and was trying to burn him. The warmth stopped after about ten seconds and then his thigh felt like it normally did. He frowned, but reached into his pocket, feeling something in there that hadn't been in there before. He pulled it out and found a note. He opened it and smiled.

 _You hide so well, Potter. However, will I find you?_

Harry flipped over the parchment and scribbled a note back. He stuck it back in his pocket and cast the spell. His pocket warmed again and then it went back to normal. Draco felt his thigh heating up and knew that Harry had sent something back. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his parchment. He frowned as he opened it, but grinned slightly at Harry's response.

 _You have a way of finding me. Just don't break my nose this time._

"Ha, ha, very funny," Draco called out.

He heard some laughter coming from a few yards away and saw Harry coming out from behind some brush. He walked over to him, still laughing. "It seemed like a well-suited response," he pointed out.

"I'd apologize for it, but you deserved it. You shouldn't spy on people, Potter, and if you do, you should do a better job at not getting caught," Draco countered.

Harry shrugged. He wanted to be angry about it, but he just couldn't. There were bigger things ahead for them than a broken nose and a need to practice stealth a bit more. "True. So why did you come up with these pockets?"

Draco blushed slightly. "I know that if we continue to meet like this that eventually someone will notice. I want to still communicate with you and I have a feeling that sooner than I'd like, we are not going to be able to meet in person at all. I just want to know that if I need to talk to you somehow, that I can just write you a note and you can respond without anyone knowing. What do you think?"

Harry frowned. He felt his stomach flutter in nervousness, knowing what he knew was weighing on him. He had to go to Dumbledore. Even though he was sure he already knew, he had to go. He did want to be able to talk to him without anyone knowing until the time that they might be able to meet again. "I think it's a brilliant idea and will be very useful. Draco, I need to tell you something though," Harry began, unsure if he was going to ruin something before it barely started.

"What?" Draco asked, probably assuming the same thing. His voice shook which made it even harder for Harry to tell him what he was going to do.

"I'm going to tell Dumbledore what you told me…." he trailed off, his voice quiet.

"I figured as much, even though he does probably already know," Draco said just as quietly. He couldn't fault Harry. He was ever the hero and would want to help Draco in any way that he could. Unfortunately, no one could help him.

"Are you angry? Are you not going to trust me with anything else?" Harry questioned, suddenly nervous about Draco's reaction or lack thereof.

"No, surprisingly, I'm not. I'm angry about a lot of things in my life right now, but despite yours and mines very recent change of whatever we are doing here, I'm not angry with you. I realize now that you don't feel obligated to help people; you just do it because that's you. By you going to Dumbledore, it doesn't change anything. What I have to do can't be stopped any more than what you have to do. I don't want to be angry about one thing in my life and that's what you feel like you need to do," he explained.

Harry nodded. "Okay, but maybe he can do something," he pointed out.

Draco looked doubtful, but he couldn't help, but feel a small ounce of the hope that emanated from Harry. "Maybe," he muttered.

They both stood there for a moment looking at each other, but then they both sighed and without saying a word, headed towards the castle. As soon as they left the forest around the lake, they separated and went different ways as to not rouse suspicion.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Another chapter for you all. Thanks again for the reviews and follows and favorites :). Enjoy!**

It had been a few days since Draco and Harry had last talked. Harry hadn't had a chance to talk with Dumbledore as he always seemed to not be in his office when he came around and left quickly from meals or lingered well after a reasonable time for Harry to be there. Draco had only sent small notes here and there about mundane things. Harry sent back similar ones, but at least the communication was still open.

Finally, Harry managed to catch Dumbledore in his office. The man looked almost reluctant to speak to him thus increasing the theory that Dumbledore was keeping something very big from him. Harry studied him for a moment as he puttered around his office making tea and gathering up some biscuits. The man was moving slower and he seemed to be exhausted and looked almost ill. The twinkle in his eye seemed a bit less than usual. Harry frowned, the knot in his stomach tightening.

"Professor, are you well?" Harry asked after the silence became too much for him.

Dumbledore sat down and smiled at Harry which seemed almost a grimace to him. Harry frowned further; his worry about what Dumbledore was hiding growing. "I'm fine, my boy. Now, what brings you here?"

Harry sighed. Why would Dumbledore tell him what he was hiding anyway? "Well, I needed to tell you something that I found out, directly from the source actually," he replied.

"From the source?" he questioned, but based on the gleam in his eye, he already knew.

"Well, I've been speaking with Draco," Harry began.

Dumbledore nodded knowingly. "I know. I thought that the two of you were up to something. Your injuries appeared to be quite superficial and I might have seen you by the lake at one point this week," he responded, twirling his beard.

"Yes, well, we talked and he told me what's been bothering him," Harry continued.

Dumbledore nodded knowingly again. "I suspected that he is in over his head with something," he replied.

Harry frowned again. Even though he knew that Dumbledore always seemed to know things, it was still a bit annoying telling him something he already knew. "Voldemort has tasked him with fixing a cabinet and to kill you!" Harry exclaimed.

He nodded again and frowned. "I did know that," he replied.

Harry's eyes widened. "What are you going to do about it?" he demanded angrily. Knowing that Dumbledore already knew of his impending death made the reality of it all even more frightening than hearing Draco tell him what he had to do.

"Harry, my boy, it's being handled. I've got everything under control. All I want you to concern yourself with is your studies," he assured him.

"But-" Harry began, but was silenced by Dumbledore whom had lifted his blackened hand to stop him from speaking any longer. Harry glanced at it and his eyes widened in horror as he saw how much worse it looked. He seemed to notice what hand he had used and dropped it, sliding his robe over the top.

"Harry, your job is to also just be there for Draco and understand that he has no choice in what he is doing," Dumbledore reminded him.

"There's always a choice," he muttered. He stood and nodded brusquely, knowing that he was being dismissed.

He glanced up at Fawkes who stared down at him with knowledgeable eyes. He had become even more afraid of what was going to happen in regards to Dumbledore. He left his office, suddenly wanting to talk to Draco. He made his way quickly to the Gryffindor Tower. He realized that it was later than he thought and the common room was mostly empty save for a couple of seventh years studying. He was surprised that Hermione wasn't in there.

He ran up to his dorm and made his way inside. His dorm mates were all snoring loudly. He felt relieved at his luck. He had to speak to Draco and if he didn't have to shake anyone off, that'd be easier. He grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled a note down on it. He hoped that Draco was still awake. He shoved the note into his pocket and muttered the spell. He fished out his invisibility cloak and set it next to him. His meeting with Dumbledore played around in his mind as he waited for some sort of response from Draco.

About ten minutes later, his pocket warmed up. After it cooled, Harry reached in and pulled out a response from Draco. He agreed to meet him. Harry stood and walked out of his dorm and down into the common room. The seventh years from before were still there, but were obviously still caught up in their studying and didn't seem to notice him. He put his cloak on and then left to meet Draco near the library.

The library closed late since it was closer to exam time. If they happened to be caught up there, they could easily explain that they had been in the library. Harry arrived and stepped into an alcove, directly across from the library. He waited impatiently for Draco to show. He did, about two minutes later. He was looking around for him so as he passed close enough to where Harry was hiding; he sent a wordless silencing charm and grabbed Draco, pulling him into the alcove. He could hear his cry as soon as he was within Harry's silence bubble.

"Unhand me, fiend!" Draco exclaimed.

He struggled in Harry's arms which made him laugh. "Draco, calm down, it's just me," he assured him.

"Merlin, Potter! What is wrong with you? How dare you summon me at this hour of the night and then pull me into an alcove, effectively giving me a heart attack?" he demanded angrily.

"You're perfectly fine and you did not have a heart attack," Harry pointed out.

Draco pouted slightly. "Yes, well, it sure as hell feels like I did," he replied as he placed a hand over his pounding heart.

"I'm sorry. I just, I needed to talk to you. I talked to Dumbledore tonight," Harry apologized.

Draco's face fell and if it was possible, he became paler. "Oh," was all he said.

"As I suspected, he already knows what you are doing. He simply told me that everything is under control and that all I need to worry about are my studies and being there for you. Oh, and he also knows that we've been talking," Harry replied.

Draco's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "How could he possibly know? You don't think anyone else does….." he trailed off, worrying his lip.

Harry glanced down at what he was doing to his lip. It intrigued him and he wasn't sure why. He reached out and tentatively gripped his hand, giving it a quick squeeze before he let go. He could feel his cheeks heating and saw some pink on Draco's cheeks as well.

"Dumbledore knows practically everything, but I don't think anyone else knows about you and me. It's important that we keep it under the radar as you know because it could spell trouble for the both of us," he answered.

"I know, I know, but how can he possibly say that it's being handled? The cabinet is basically working and it's only a matter of time before it's working effectively. It's only a matter of time that all my attempts at killing Dumbledore this year will come through. Merlin, Harry, I can't kill him, but I don't know how else to get out of this. Dumbledore is going to have to die, one way or the other, but I'm not a murderer…." Draco trailed off, the torment and fear apparent in his tone. Harry could hear the tears in Draco's voice, even though they hadn't been shed.

"I know. I wish I knew how to get you out of this," Harry said lamely. He didn't know what to say to him. Draco hung his head and Harry could see him wipe absently at his eyes. Harry reached out and patted his shoulder, wanting to pull him into a hug, but unsure if that was acceptable. Draco seemed to be content with just a pat so Harry decided not to test the boundaries.

After a few moments, Draco sniffled and looked up at Harry, wiping his eyes once more. "Thank you for trying. I better get back. We do have classes tomorrow after all. Goodnight, Harry," Draco said before he squeezed Harry's hand once and quickly walked away, blending into the shadows. Harry sighed and put his cloak back on before he headed in the same direction as Draco had. He paused for just a moment on his trek back to the Gryffindor tower and thought, 'Did he just call me Harry?' He tried to ignore how it made him feel, but the warmth building in his belly made it difficult.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry about this not coming out sooner, but I've gone back to work so I've been rather tired this week. No matter, here is the next chapter. Thanks again for the reviews and adds :).**

 **Warning: Since this is Drarry, it's already not cannon, but this particular chapter goes off book some because well, that's how it needed to work in order to incorporate the budding friendship of Draco and Harry.**

The next few weeks went by quicker than either Harry or Draco would have liked. They communicated almost daily, but did not speak a word about what they were both facing, most currently what Draco was facing. They got to know things about each other that they never would have known had they not talked that day in Myrtle's bathroom. They didn't have much more in common than their mutual hatred for Voldemort, but they found that they still had plenty to talk about.

It was nearing the end of the school year and it was morning once again. Final exams were just a few short days away. Harry pushed his food around, glancing over at Draco. He was staring down at a piece of parchment in front of him, his eyes unblinking. The post had been through a few minutes ago and Draco had received something. Harry watched him and saw that he was trembling slightly. Draco stood up to leave and headed towards the Great Hall doors. He must have felt Harry staring at him because he turned and shook his head, telling Harry not to follow him.

Harry sighed, frowning, and went back to eating his food. He glanced to his right hand and saw a rolled up piece of parchment there. He picked it up and opened it. He had another lesson with Dumbledore this afternoon. The note said that it would be their most important lesson yet.

"What's the matter, Harry?" Hermione asked, noting that he was bothered by something. They didn't know a thing about Harry conversing with Draco and Harry was going to keep it that way.

"Oh, uh, I just have another lesson with Dumbledore. He said it's the most important one yet," he whispered to her. She nodded knowingly and let him leave without further question.

Harry made his way upstairs to the Gryffindor tower. He felt his pocket warm and hurried up to the tower so he could see what Draco had written to him. He made it into his dorm and sat down on his bed before he pulled out the note.

 _I'm sorry, but I just couldn't talk to you after I received the note. If I did, I don't know what I would have said or how I would have acted. I probably would have been blubbering and making no sense at all. Whatever is planned is happening soon. I'm scared. I can't do this._

Harry frowned, feeling angry at what Draco was being put through. Draco was a prat and had been ever since he'd started at Hogwarts, but in Harry's mind now, something changed about him. He couldn't ignore that his feelings for him had changed. He didn't hate him any longer. He looked at him as an equal because they were both dealing with the same mad man, albeit on opposite sides, but it was all in the same.

He scribbled a note back and sent it on its way. He had to get ready to head out with Dumbledore. He wondered how this lesson was most important.

 **XXXX**

Draco felt his pocket warm. He reached in and pulled out the note from Harry.

 _I know you're scared. I know you're not a murderer. A prat yes, and less than kind to most everyone, but me as of late, but not a murderer. Dumbledore said he had this handled so we have to believe him. I know that's hard, but it has to be done. I have another lesson with him today. Just hang tight. It'll be fine._

Draco sighed. Harry always seemed to make him feel better, well now anyway. It was still bizarre to him that after their one conversation and his one confession which should have made Harry furious and have him thrown into Azkaban, that they were still talking and almost friends. He was pleased to finally, _finally_ , be friends with Harry Potter and all he had to do was be suspicious enough to gain his attention and then talk to him instead of cursing him. He wondered for a brief moment if all their problems the previous years could have been avoided if he just talked to him instead of being a spoiled brat. He shook his head. It wouldn't have mattered. Things would have turned out the same way regardless, but maybe it could have saved a lot of jealousy and detention if he had decided to get along with Harry.

"Draco, what is going on with you? You get some note and then you rush off. What is the matter?" Pansy asked as she came storming into the common room.

Draco sneered at her. "It's none of your business," he snapped.

She glared at him. "You've been acting strange for months. You disappear for all hours and you won't tell anyone what you're doing. You're up to something, Draco, and I demand to know what it is!"

"No! I am not telling you what's going on! It is between me and no one else! You couldn't even begin to understand the scope of it all. Now butt out and mind your own damn business!" Draco yelled as he stormed out of the common room, ignoring her calling his name.

He made his way to the Room of Requirement. He didn't know what soon meant, but since the term was nearly up, it would be within the next couple of days. The cabinet was working. The live bird had come back to him alive so it was only a matter of time that it would let in several Death Eaters.

He stayed in there for several hours, just staring at the cabinet, contemplating where to go from there. He had to corner Dumbledore. He was actually going to have to kill him in person. The necklace hadn't worked and the poisoned mead hadn't worked. Draco nearly killed Ron Weasley instead which he was surprised that Harry would have forgiven that. Of course, somehow he knew that it wasn't intentional, so maybe that was why he hadn't brought it up. It didn't matter either way really. He was screwed regardless.

 **XXXX**

Harry had just experienced one of the most horrible things in his life. He had to watch a man that he admired and had looked up to since his first year at Hogwarts, go mad while drinking the horrible potion to get a locket that Harry knew was one of the horcruxes. Somehow, Harry had made it back to Hogwarts with Dumbledore. They stood up in the astronomy tower, getting their bearings.

"Dumbledore, we need to get you to Madam Pomfrey. She can help," Harry insisted, trying to get Dumbledore to follow him down the steps.

He shook his head. "Just give me a moment, Harry. It'll pass and everything will be fine," he said weakly.

"No, I must insist-" Dumbledore rose his hand to silence him. There were footsteps on the stairs. Harry wanted to say more, but Dumbledore, with quickness he didn't expect, froze him and threw his invisibility cloak over him effectively preventing Harry from speaking and moving and being seen.

Harry watched in horror as he saw Draco coming up the steps. He quickly disarmed Dumbledore. Harry's eyes widened as he saw the indecision on Draco's face and the tears that were already streaking down his cheeks.

"Draco, my boy, what brings you up here tonight?" Dumbledore asked calmly, too calmly.

"You know what I have to do," Draco said, his voice cracking and shaking.

"I can help you," Dumbledore told him quietly.

Draco's wand hand shook. "No, you can't. No one can. I have to do this."

Harry watched in horror as Draco levelled his wand on Dumbledore again. He couldn't watch him do this. A sound caught his attention and the next thing he saw was Snape coming up behind Draco. He watched in horror as Snape and Dumbledore exchanged a look and Snape cast the killing curse at Dumbledore, sending him spiraling out the window. Steps thundered behind Snape and Draco as some other Death Eaters came up and saw Dumbledore fall out the window. They let out gleeful cries as they rushed to the window to see Dumbledore lying below.

Harry felt tears pricking in his eyes and he turned to see Snape grabbing Draco and pulling him towards the steps. The other Death Eaters followed and as soon as they were out of sight, the spell that bound Harry in place released, thus confirming Dumbledore's death. Harry threw his cloak off and chased after Snape and Draco. He needed answers. Why didn't Snape intervene and keep Dumbledore from dying?

He caught up to them quickly and Harry started flinging spells at Snape, trying to avoid hitting Draco.

Snape whirled around with Draco in his grip, allowing the other Death Eaters to get further ahead. "Potter! Stop trying to hex me!" Snape snarled. Harry met his glare with his own.

"You didn't have to kill him!" Harry cried, trying to hex Snape again. Snape snarled again as he disarmed Harry.

Harry's eyes widened as Snape stalked towards him, dragging Draco with him. "Listen now, and listen well, Potter," he spat out his name, not keeping the hate from his tone. "Dumbledore was already dying. That ring that he had on his hand was slowly killing him, slowly poisoning him. I made an unbreakable vow with Draco's mother to keep him safe because she knew that the Dark Lord had tasked him with something. Eventually, Dumbledore and I figured out what it was and we knew what Draco was supposed to do to him. Dumbledore did not want Draco to become a murderer so we agreed that when the time came, I would cast the curse. My soul is already tarnished, Draco's was spared. I need to get him out of here so you two need to make it fast," Snape replied. Harry didn't miss the regret and sadness that he heard in Snape's tone about having to kill Dumbledore. He also didn't miss the last part of what he said. Draco stepped forward and looked between Snape, who was looking in the direction of where the Death Eaters had gone, and Harry.

"I, uh, I don't know what to say. Wait, how did you know?" Draco asked realizing that he hadn't told Harry what happened nor had he seen him at all today except at breakfast. His eyes widened in horror, recalling that Harry had a lesson with Dumbledore today. "You were there?" he whispered.

"We came back from getting something that is quite important in relation to Voldemort. He could barely stand," Harry's voice broke and he took deep breaths to keep himself from getting upset again. Draco reached out and touched his arm in as comforting as a gesture as he could. Harry smiled slightly at him. "We heard you coming up and he froze me and threw my invisibility cloak over me. I saw it all happen," he finished.

"Harry, I'm….sorry. I don't know…." Draco trailed off, having no idea what to say.

"Draco, we need to get out of here. You can't be caught here," Snape urged as he scanned the area again.

"Things are going to be different now. This changes everything. You should probably get out of here. I probably won't see you again so I'm glad that we could be friends or get to know each other at least the last month. Take care of yourself and stay out of trouble," Harry said as he started back towards the castle.

Draco looked after him in alarm. "Wait! What do you mean I won't see you again? You'll be back for seventh year, won't you? I'm sure I'll see you at some point," he said desperately.

Harry laughed sardonically. "I'm not coming back. I have to finish what Dumbledore started. I'll hope to see you in the future, but I don't believe I will," he said.

"Wait! Just hold on. I can't…." Draco pleaded. He walked over to Harry and stood their awkwardly for a moment before he pulled Harry into a hug and held him like his life depended on it. Harry let out a surprised squeak, but returned the hug. They held on for far longer than a usual hug should be. "Thank you for talking to me that day. I wouldn't have made it through this last month with any shred of sanity if it weren't for you. Be careful and I'll write you," Draco whispered against Harry's ear which sent some rather warm feelings coursing through him that surprised him deeply. He squeezed Harry once more and then stepped back, blushing slightly.

Snape walked over and handed Harry back his wand. "Let's go, Draco," he muttered as he started in the direction that they had been running before.

Harry was at a loss for words and could only wave and watch Draco leave. He patted his pocket, showing Draco that he would keep it on him at all times. After they had gone out of sight, he made his way back to Hogwarts, afraid of what he was going to find when he got there, but more determined than ever to finish this.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here's another chapter for you. It seems like it's a story ending type chapter, but it's not. There is still so much story to go! Enjoy and thanks again for the reviews and follows :).**

The summer months sent Harry losing his first friend of the magical world, Hedwig, and essentially going on the run as he was undesirable number 1 in Voldemort's eyes. Everyone who had any connection to Voldemort was on the hunt for Harry. He hadn't seen Draco since the day Dumbledore died and their communication had been sporadic at best. He did know that Voldemort was staying at the Manor which only increased Harry's worry for Draco. He couldn't imagine living in the same house as that man.

Often, when it was late and Hermione, Ron, and Harry were trying to sleep, he would think about Draco and their last moment together. That hug had seemed more than just a friendly hug. It had Harry wondering about what it would be like to hug him again and maybe…. he stopped as he felt his pocket warming. He nearly leapt out of bed in excitement. He hadn't heard from Draco in about a month. He reached in and took out the note. He unraveled it and lit his wand.

 _Do you ever think about that night? I think about it all the time. I often wonder if I could have done something different. I haven't come up with another solution that I could have tried. I suppose I could have told him no and refused to do it, but I would have died. I am not sure if that would have been better. Actually, no, it wouldn't have been. If I had died, by telling him no, you and I would have never had an opportunity at being friends. I consider you my friend, if not my only friend at this point and at the time of trying to complete my task. I miss you. I know you're busy and I've been able to somewhat keep tabs on you, but I haven't heard any news as of late. I hope you're alright. Do you ever think about that night? I also think about our last conversation and our embrace. Do you think about that too? Did it seem different to you? I'm rambling. I hope you're well. I miss you._

Harry sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. Maybe he hadn't imagined things….. He reached over and grabbed a quill and some parchment from the night stand. He thought for a bit about how to respond to him and then started to write. He wrote for several minutes and then, once satisfied with what he wrote; he placed it in his pocket and sent it on its way.

Draco lay in bed, staring up at his ceiling, trying to ignore the screams that slipped through his silencing spells. Voldemort was torturing someone. He liked to call it training, but he did it just for fun. Draco had been on the other end of those spells many times and it was worse than the time before, every time. He had been thinking a lot about Harry. He wasn't quite back at Hogwarts yet, but he hadn't heard from him since the middle of July. He knew about what had happened at Ron's brother's wedding and that Harry had subsequently disappeared off the face of the Wizarding world. He assumed that he made it away safely since he hadn't seen nor heard any celebrations of his death.

He felt warmth on his thigh and felt the knot that had been tightening in his stomach for days start to loosen. Harry was alright. He tried not to be too eager to see what he had to say, but he couldn't help it. He reached in and pulled the note out and unfolded it. He sighed, smiling as he started to read.

 _Can you read my mind? I was thinking about that night when I got your letter. Of course, I think about that night often. I've hugged many people, but that embrace was definitely different from all the others I've experienced. What do you think it means? I miss you, too. I'm sure it's strange to think about missing each other. I hope that you are staying safe. We are trying to stay off the radar as much as possible. Things are going to be getting more difficult as time passes. I wish I was going back to school and that I didn't have to deal with any of this, but alas, my mission is not complete. I hope I'll see you soon, but I doubt I will. I miss you, too. I think about you…._

Draco sighed as he read the letter a few more times. Thoughts of Harry had consumed his mind more often than not since that last night they saw each other. It appeared that he hadn't imagined the feelings that transpired in their 'too long for a normal hug' hug. He placed the note in a box that held all the letters from Harry and concealed it for safe keeping. He hoped that'd he see Harry again. He really did.

 **XXXX**

Months had passed and Draco had heard nothing. He had no idea where Harry was. He had no idea whether he was safe or not. He hadn't heard a thing except a small note at Christmas time that simply said _Happy Christmas_. Hogwarts was a joke. Snape was the Headmaster and that was about all that was great about being there. Everything else made no sense. He hated being there almost as much as he hated being at the Manor. He hated sitting down at meals and looking across the hall at the Gryffindor table and not seeing Harry. He was no good company to anyone. His friends had all, but abandoned him. They sat near him, but he didn't talk to them and they didn't really talk to him either. He missed Harry deeply. He had tried to get any sort of information out of Snape, but even he had no clue where he was.

Around Christmas time, Draco had heard mumblings that Harry had been spotted in Godric's Hollow and had gone to visit Luna Lovegood's father. Unfortunately for Draco, he knew that Luna was down in his basement with a few other prisoners. He hated knowing that they were down there, but there was nothing he could do.

After he went back to school, he heard absolutely nothing. It was as if Harry had fallen off the face of the Wizarding world, again. It brought him to another night where he stared up at the canopy of his bed, hoping to hear from Harry. He had written him a few times, but had received no response. He worried that after their last exchange of notes that Harry had changed his mind about him. It was the only explanation that made sense for him not writing him back.

He had considered taking the pocket off many times, but he couldn't bring himself to do it, just in case. Lying there that night brought him to thinking about it once again. Of course, it was at that moment of the traitorous thought that he felt his thigh become quite warm. He sat up in bed and reached for it. Maybe he had imagined it, but he found that as soon as he touched his leg, he felt the warmth. He reached in and pulled out a note. He felt nervous all of a sudden, worrying about what Harry had written. He took a deep breath and opened it.

 _I'm so, so, so sorry that I haven't written you since the last time we exchanged letters. I've received your letters and I am pleased that you are staying relatively safe. I've been keeping up on what is going on at Hogwarts as well. It doesn't sound like it's going very well there. I hope that you haven't thought that I've forgotten you or that I've changed my mind about you or us. I haven't. I've thought about you often and have thought about what the future might hold. We know what we have to do now, and finding the things we need has become clearer. I know what's coming and I just hope that I'll see you on the other side. Stay safe._

There was so much in that note. Draco focused on one word and one word only: _us_. What did he mean by that? As friends? As more than friends? Did either of them even think about the other that way? Draco lay back down and pondered that. He had always been attracted to Harry and his power, but was it more than just that kind of attraction? He wasn't sure. He wouldn't know until he saw him again, if he did in fact see him again. He hadn't thought about anyone in that way ever except now he was thinking about it in regards to Harry. He wasn't sure what that meant. Now was not the time to consider it. There was too much at stake.

Draco was back at the Manor for Easter holiday. He had received no other notes since he sent back a response to Harry's note. Things had been relatively calm and there had been no Potter sightings. Voldemort was acting more eccentric than usual and Draco tried to avoid the man as much as possible. He wondered if he could feel his days being numbered. I'm sure he hated not knowing where Harry was and what he was doing. Merlin, Draco wanted to see him so badly. It had been almost a year since he had last seen him. He didn't know what he'd do when he saw him again.

He went downstairs, reluctantly to join his mother and father for breakfast as well as his crazy aunt and a few other Death Eaters. He tried to eat quickly and retreat to his room, but he was pulled into whatever they were discussing. He stared out the window, wishing he could be anywhere, but here. He looked into the foyer in surprise when he heard three distinct pops. Snatchers were back and it looked like they had some more people who dared to speak Voldemort's name. Draco sighed and looked away. He couldn't watch more innocent people get locked away, tortured, and eventually killed.

"Draco! Get in here!" his father cried. Draco sighed and didn't rush into the room. However, when his eyes settled on the people that had been captured, he wished that he had hurried a bit more. He felt his heart rate picking up and knew that if he didn't keep his indifferent mask in place, he was going to give so much away. Draco knew instantly that the snatchers had the Golden Trio. He knew what his father was going to ask him.

"Is it him? Is it?!" someone demanded.

Draco stepped closer and looked into the face of the person who had been occupying his mind for so long. He looked like he had been stung by a million bees, but there was no mistake, it was him. Harry's green eyes bored into Draco's gray. He felt like his heart was going to hammer out of his chest.

"I can't be sure," he muttered. He didn't want to say that it was him because he knew where that would go.

"Put them in the dungeons and call the Dark Lord!" someone else ordered.

Draco watched as the three were taken towards the dungeons. "Wait, leave the Mudblood," someone else said darkly.

Hermione cried out as they grabbed her and pulled her in a different direction. Draco didn't know what to do. He was caught between wanting to talk to Harry, but wanting to figure out a way to keep her from being tortured.

"Let me deal with her," Draco demanded, his tone icy. He narrowed his gaze at her and curled his lip in disgust. He hoped that he'd be able to explain to Harry that he was just putting on an act.

His aunt happened to be gripping Hermione's arm. She looked like she wasn't about to give him her prize, but surprisingly she relented and shoved Hermione towards him. "Let's see what you can do, Draco," she snarled.

Draco grabbed Hermione and dragged her into the drawing room. "It won't make sense right now, but please trust me and I hope you're a very good actress," Draco whispered to her before he shoved her to the ground.

He knew that his aunt was expecting him to use the _cruciatus_ curse on her, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. He had been jealous of Hermione for years, but if he wanted Harry to still like him, he couldn't torture his best friend, but he could pretend to do it. He muttered a strong stinging hex that mimicked the _cruciatus_ , but didn't have any of the ill side effects. Hermione cried out and acted very well. She appeared to trust him well enough to fake that she was being tortured. He managed to split her lip for extra effect and as his aunt cheered gleefully, he continued to torture Hermione until he grew tired of the magic.

"I'm finished with her. I'm taking her to the dungeon," Draco sneered. He walked over to her and pulled her up off the ground. Hermione sagged in his grip which was either really good acting or she was worn out from the hexes. Bellatrix looked on Draco proudly as he dragged Hermione to the dungeon. Luckily, she didn't follow him and the only person guarding the door was Wormtail and Draco didn't think that man could do much good or even cared enough anymore.

Once he got to the bottom of the stairs, he propped Hermione up against the wall. "Are you alright?" he asked her quietly.

She looked up at him, tears trickling down her cheeks. "I'm in some pain, but not nearly what it would have been had your aunt had the opportunity to torture me. Why didn't you?" she questioned.

"I couldn't torture you and I knew that Aunt Bella would not be kind to you. The pain will wear off shortly and here," Draco paused as he healed Hermione's lip. "There. Now, let me try to figure out a way to get you all out of here," he whispered as he unlocked the door, pushing her into the dungeon.

"Hermione! Oh, thank Merlin, are you alright?" Ron asked as soon as Hermione had disappeared into the shadows. Draco heard her talking to him and he wondered where Harry was. He sighed and started up the steps.

"Draco," Harry whispered. Draco turned, his heart fluttering at the voice that was so familiar and yet much deeper than he remembered.

"Harry," he replied as he walked over to the gate. Harry's face was still pretty puffy so Draco flicked his wand at him and righted him. He didn't have his glasses handy so Draco was assaulted by the brightness of his eyes. It took his breath away.

"You didn't give me away," he said quietly.

"Of course I didn't. I wouldn't," he replied. He stepped closer, itching to touch him in some way. Make the connection again. Harry's hands rested on the bars so Draco stepped forward more and settled his hands over Harry's. They both let out a breath and then their eyes met and they stared for a long moment at one another.

"I missed you," Harry whispered.

"I missed you," Draco whispered back.

"You didn't torture her," Harry commented.

"No. If I wanted you to still like me, I couldn't torture her," Draco teased.

Harry laughed slightly. "Not because you have a soul or a conscious?"

Draco smiled. "No, just because of you," he replied.

He rubbed his thumb over the back of Harry's hand. He wanted to do something more, but knew that he couldn't. He heard voices at the top of the steps. He moved his hands away from Harry's and then watched as Harry melted back into the dungeon. Draco ran up the steps, trying to prevent whomever was up there from coming down.

Draco went back upstairs and waylaid his aunt. He managed to get her away and bide Harry and his friends more time as well as bide him time to figure out a way to get them out of there. It wasn't long before he needn't think any more on it because things suddenly became very chaotic.

There were cries of anger coming from the dungeon steps and the sound of pounding feet as the prisoners stormed upstairs. Draco turned in shock, his aunt nearby, as well as his mother and father and a few others. His aunt and mother's wands flew out of their hands and into Hermione and Ron's hands. Draco watched in surprise as Harry made a beeline for Draco and disarmed him, taking his wand from him. He gave him a 'forgive me' look before he started away from him. It was then that Draco noticed his father's former house elf, Dobby, and watched as he apparated them all out of there.

They all suffered greatly for their mistake, but Draco couldn't help, but be pleased that he had been able to see Harry, been able to reconnect with him, been able to feel that there was something new and different there, and to feel a bit of hope once more. Harry was quite brilliant and although, a year ago he would have been quite annoyed by that, now, he just relished in the fact that he was so brilliant. He slept better than he had in months. At least he could have one night of decent rest.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: So I have currently written this story to 21 chapters and there is still much more to be written. I thought I'd celebrate this success by posting a chapter earlier than planned. Of course, once I reread the chapter, I realized that I'm leaving you with a cliff hanger, but alas, you'll survive, I'm sure. Enjoy!**

 **P.S. Thank you again for the adds and reviews. I love them! Also, remember, this is Drarry and it's not canon so if I go off roading from the original story, it's because it needed to work for this story, for the most part. There is a part in this chapter that is different than the book, but it was trivial in this sense because I'm assuming you've all ready Deathly Hallows :). I'm not making sense and I'm tired. Enjoy the chapter :)**

Draco was back at Hogwarts, watching the darkness form in the distance. It was May 1. Draco stood up in the astronomy tower, thinking about Harry again.

Hermione and Ron had destroyed Helga Hufflepuff's cup which left only three horcruxes left. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were in Hogsmeade. Harry glanced up at the sky noticing how dark it was and then glanced in the general direction of Hogwarts. He wondered if Draco was there right now. He felt his stomach warm at possibly seeing him again and he entertained for a moment what they would do when they saw each other, but he pushed the hope away. It wouldn't happen.

"We need to head up to the castle. The diadem is there. Let's get this over with and finished," Harry said as he started away from the windows and to the portrait that led to Hogwarts.

"Harry, are you alright? You seemed like you were thinking about something earlier, unrelated to what we are doing," Hermione whispered next to him. She looked up at him in concern. They hadn't discussed much about what happened at the Manor and how Draco had spared her or why, but Hermione was intuitive and knew that something was different between the two.

"Yeah, I was just thinking about something, someone," he muttered, running his hand through his hair, blushing slightly. She gave him a small, knowing smile and patted his arm. They said nothing more as they started into the portrait hole. It was happening tonight. Voldemort was coming to Hogwarts. The time had finally come.

Harry came out of the portrait followed by the rest who were with them. "Let's go to the Room of Requirement and see if it's in there," he said as they started running to the seventh floor. People were running throughout the castle, preparing for what was to come and paid them no mind. They met little issue on the way there, but then their luck ran out.

Crabbe and Goyle were coming up the steps behind them. The trio turned, shot some spells their way and cast hasty shield charms over them as they hurried up the rest of the way to the seventh floor, Crabbe and Goyle hot on their heels. Harry wondered for a brief moment where Draco was since he knew that in order to keep up pretenses, he'd have to keep hanging out with his two goons. Draco was not with them though which worried Harry.

He pushed the worry aside and ran to the Room of Requirement. Luckily for them, the door was already available as if the castle knew what they were looking for and that they needed to get in there. The three of them ran into the Room of Requirement with Crabbe and Goyle not too far behind them. "Look for the diadem!" Harry yelled as the split off. They had to find it before Crabbe and Goyle could catch them.

 **XXXX**

Draco was jogging up the steps with many of his other classmates. It was obvious that Voldemort and the other Death Eaters were almost there and had almost taken down the wards of the castle. They had been rattling all day.

"Did you hear that Harry Potter is here?!" someone cried out as they passed Draco on the stairs. Draco stopped in his tracks as he tried to find the person who had spoken. It was a 5th year Gryffindor. He rushed up to him.

"What did you say?" he asked, not thinking about how his tone came across as desperate for an answer, but not in the way a Slytherin should be. The boy looked at him, but didn't seem to realize who he was or was too caught up in what was happening.

"Harry Potter's here!" he exclaimed.

Draco felt his heart pounding and his stomach warm at the thought that Harry was here somewhere. "Which way did he go?" he asked quickly.

The boy shrugged. "Someone said he was heading towards the seventh floor, but the last they saw, he was being chased by some Slytherin goons," he said and then he was off.

Draco stopped on the steps; people went around him, growling in annoyance. Slytherin goons…. Crabbe and Goyle. He rushed off, a new destination in mind. He ran as quickly as he could to the Room of Requirement. When he got there, the door was there and he rushed inside. He saw Crabbe up ahead.

"Crabbe! What are you doing in here? We need to get out of the castle and with the others!" Draco called as he ran up to him. It was obvious that Crabbe was looking for someone.

"Malfoy, what are you doing here? Get the hell out of here. This doesn't pertain to you. Goyle and I will get Potter and we will be in the Dark Lord's good graces for sure," he said through clenched teeth.

"Potter is here?" Draco questioned in disbelief as he looked around, wondering what Harry needed in the Room of Hidden Things.

"He's here somewhere and we've got him cornered," Crabbe said evilly. Draco moved away from him, trying to find Harry. He ran through the different aisles with towering pieces of all sorts of things around him. He wasn't sure how they didn't fall, but it wasn't long before he heard a scream. It sounded like Hermione. Draco turned and rushed back in the direction of the sound. He came around and saw Hermione and Ron in a duel with Crabbe and Goyle, but Harry was nowhere to be found.

Draco looked next to him and saw a stack of chairs. He gulped, but chose to climb them to see if he could find Harry. Once he got to the top, he was able to see dark hair running through the aisle that was parallel to where Hermione and Ron were battling. He scrambled back down and rushed back to where they were fighting. Unfortunately, they were no longer dueling and it appeared that Hermione and Ron had managed to give them the slip. Of course, Crabbe and Goyle ran after them and Draco made chase as well, trying to figure out a way for all of them to get out of this unscathed. Crabbe had other things in mind.

He screamed out a curse and the nearest pile of material burst into flame. Draco stopped short, knowing what that spell was. _Fiendfyre_. He also knew that Crabbe could not control it.

"I've found it!" Harry cried out from above. At some point he had gone back above. Draco felt relief, but then the fire shifted directions. He cried out and started running back in the direction that he hoped the door was. Unfortunately for him, the smoke was becoming heavy and he began coughing and couldn't see ahead of him. He heard heavy thuds behind him and knew that Crabbe and Goyle were behind him. The smoke cleared just enough that he saw Harry, Hermione, and Ron ahead of him.

"Harry!" he screamed, not caring anymore what Crabbe and Goyle knew.

He watched as Harry stopped and whipped around, Hermione and Ron stopped short. "Draco?" Harry called out, trying to see through the smoke. He couldn't see him and he heard what sounded like something collapsing nearby and before he knew it, the path that he knew Draco was on, was blocked. "Draco!" he cried.

Draco looked horrified and turned around, seeing the fire coming their way. He rushed to a pile of stuff and started climbing up, hoping that he could figure out a way to get out of there. "Harry!" Draco choked out, coughing hard as he slipped up the pile.

When he got to the top, he looked around and saw Hermione and Ron on one broom and Harry on another. They were swooping down towards him. Draco noted that Goyle and Crabbe were up there. Ron grabbed Goyle and they took off, not very well, but took off towards the door. Harry swooped down and grabbed Draco's outstretched hand and pulled him up onto the broom. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and held on tightly. Harry flew back around, trying to get at Crabbe, but the piece of furniture that he was standing on broke away and they both watched in horror as he fell backwards into the flames.

Draco buried his face in Harry's back, biting back tears. They flew towards the door, fire chasing them. They flew through the door and hit the ground hard, tumbling off the broom. They laid there for a few seconds before Harry sat up and made his way over to Draco who was lying on his back, tears streaming down his cheeks. Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione who were looking each other over and Goyle looked like he was out cold. He pulled Draco up and didn't hesitate to wrap him up in a hug. He knew he didn't have much time and he knew that his mind had been made up, but first he had to see Draco once more.

"What were you doing in there?" Harry whispered against his ear. His lips brushed his cheek as he leaned back to look at him.

Draco looked up at him, his gray eyes wide with disbelief that he was seeing Harry again and so close, not to mention the fact that he had felt his lips brush against his cheek. "I heard you were here and then I heard that Crabbe and Goyle found you. I had to be sure you were alright," Draco replied quietly.

"You could have been killed!" Harry scolded.

Draco blushed, but then he looked up at him with a glare. "I had to see you!" he defended back.

Harry shook his head and smiled slightly. He glanced over at Ron and Hermione who were still wrapped up in one another. "Alright, fine. Are you okay?" he relented.

Draco shrugged. "Crabbe was my friend," he muttered.

"I know. I'm sorry. Listen, I have to go, okay? Get somewhere safe, if you can find it. If I don't see you again, just know that every moment, although brief, that I got to spend with you was better than I thought it could be. I'm glad I got to know you, even if it wasn't nearly enough time," Harry said. He started to get up and pulled Draco up with him.

"Harry, no, you can't just go off. Let me go with you. Let me help you," Draco begged.

Harry smiled at him and shook his head. "This I have to do by myself, not even Hermione and Ron are going with me. Stay safe," he said. He pulled Draco into a hug and held him tightly. Ron and Hermione finally looked away from one another and watched Harry and Draco with surprise, albeit one of them had a knowing look in their eyes. Harry pressed a kiss against Draco's cheek and then he was off. Draco brought his hand up and touched his cheek staring after him.

"He's going to face him, isn't he?" Draco said aloud.

"Yes," Hermione said after a moment.

"He's going to die?" Draco asked.

"I don't know," she replied, worry and fear evident in her tone.

Just then, things turned even more chaotic than it already was and Ron and Hermione were off while Draco pulled Goyle up and rushed down to the Great Hall. Things were going to get much worse.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I wasn't going to, but I worked so hard on this story today that I just had to reward my success with sharing another chapter :). I both love and hate being so far ahead then where I'm at in posting because I get excited about what's to come and then I remember that it's going to be awhile before you all get to read what I'm writing. I wrote about four more chapters today so we've still got a lot to go. On another note, I think you will all enjoy this chapter and remember, it's not canon :). Enjoy! Thanks again for the reviews and follows!**

It was nearly past midnight and Draco stood in front of the school with everyone else, staring towards the forest. They had heard an unmistakable holler coming from the forest. It had been Hagrid and everyone waited by bated breath as to what had caused him to bellow that way. It wasn't long before everyone saw what had caused Hagrid to react that way. Draco's eyes widened as he saw the unmistakable form of the boy who had occupied his every thought for the past year cradled in Hagrid's arms. Draco's heart thudded in his chest, not believing what he was seeing. The small bit of hope that he had held onto since he had seen Harry at the Manor a couple of months before disappeared instantly. The future that he had imagined was plucked from his mind and smooshed to pieces.

"No," he muttered, shaking his head. He wasn't alone in his reaction as pretty much everyone either said 'no' or were shaking their heads in disbelief or simply staring, unblinking as every single hope that had ever been left, was gone. Harry was dead. Hagrid would not react that way if it weren't so. Voldemort came from behind him, pleased beyond belief. His snake slithered at his feet. Draco glared at him.

"Harry Potter….is dead," he cackled. Hagrid was sobbing and several people in attendance were sobbing right along with him. Draco found Hermione and Ron in the group and both were obviously devastated. No one knew of his friendship with Harry so he stood alone in his despair at the loss. Nothing could compare to how he was feeling right then.

Moments passed as Voldemort rambled on about how we will all bow down to him and follow his lead or die. Draco felt the shift in the audience as they shoved their despair to the side and became even angrier. They would avenge Harry's death. Things turned chaotic once again as another yell came from those gathered and Draco watched in admiration as Neville pushed forward from the crowd, carrying a sword, and swinging it down cutting off the head of Voldemort's snake.

Voldemort screamed a horrible scream and everyone stared in disbelief at what had just happened. Voldemort fell to his knees and a couple of his Death Eaters came forward to help him, but he waved them off and staggered to his feet.

"Where's Harry?" Hagrid bellowed as he looked around in disbelief. Draco whipped his head back around and couldn't see Harry anywhere. He must have been on the ground, but he was not. The hope that had gone away flared up as he realized that maybe Harry wasn't dead after all. Suddenly, with renewed spirit, spells started to fly as everyone started to duel again. Draco moved through the crowd, flinging spells at Death Eaters who were dueling. No one seemed to notice him.

The battling moved into the courtyard and it was then that the crowd parted and Harry was standing there, facing Voldemort. Draco stood on the side of Harry and stared in disbelief at seeing him standing there. He watched, just as everyone did as Harry and Voldemort discussed their wands as if they were discussing the weather and not about to kill each other. They seemed to grow tired of talking and Voldemort uttered the two words that no one ever wanted to hear, ' _Avada Kedavra_ ' while Harry shouted, ' _Expelliarmus_.'

Their spells clashed and everyone watched as the two most powerful wizards alive fought to defeat the other. Harry's spell pushed further and further towards Voldemort and then something happened that nobody expected and Voldemort was dead. Gone. Never coming back again.

Everyone erupted in cheers and several Death Eaters tried to get away, but were stopped by the anti-apparition wards that the aurors had put in place. Draco's mother was squeezing him tightly as Draco lost sight of Harry in the crowd of well-wishers. He focused on her as she sobbed into his shoulder. His father stood nearby, wrapping an arm around Narcissa as well. Draco did not look at him. He wasn't sure how his father would feel about the secret his son was hiding.

Mostly everyone moved into the Great Hall and the Malfoys huddled together, unsure if they should be there despite switching alliances in the end. No one seemed to think ill of them so they stayed put. Draco searched the room for Harry, but did not see him anywhere. He didn't see Hermione and Ron either. He sighed. He was grateful that Harry had survived, but he had so many questions for him and he wasn't sure if he'd get the chance to ask them. He felt his pocket warm and he stared down at it. Harry had written to him.

"Excuse me, I'm going to see if I can find Blaise and Pansy," Draco muttered as he stood and strode away from his parents. He left the Great Hall quickly before he pulled the note out of his pocket. He opened it and scanned it quickly.

 _Gryffindor Tower, Parsnips_

That was it. Draco looked up the steps nervously. They were crumbled in places and he was nervous to go up them, but if Harry was asking for him. He was going to make it. He climbed the steps to the tower which seemed to be better in some places and quite dangerous in others. When he finally made it to the Gryffindor Tower, the portrait was empty. He said the password anyway and despite their being no one there, it opened.

He stepped into the room and the sconces flickered on. Harry was standing at the window looking out. He turned to look at Draco and their eyes met and held. Many emotions passed between them right then, but neither of them moved. Draco moved towards him first, unable to break eye contact. He stopped when he was within two feet of Harry and studied him. Every feeling that he had in relation to him was swimming around in his head. He had felt every emotion there was about Harry. He didn't know where to start.

"Hi," Harry said quietly, breaking the silence.

"Hi," Draco replied, his voice cracking. Ah, so he was going with the despair emotion first. He broke their connection, trying to reel in his emotions.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions," Harry began, seeming to read his mind.

"You're damn right I do!" he exclaimed. Ah, anger it was instead. Draco stormed away from him and started pacing. "Where did you go? Did you actually die? Did you kill Voldemort with my wand? How did you figure out how to kill him? Are you okay? How do you feel about-" Draco stopped. The last question was not something he wanted to ask right now.

"Draco, calm down. Come sit over here and I'll answer your questions," Harry said in a soothing tone as he sat on the couch.

"I'm fine. I just need to stand for now. I'm sorry, but I have been going crazy since that night in the astronomy tower. I've tried to not think about you or wonder where you are or wonder how you are. I just couldn't stop thinking about you and then I finally get to see you and I nearly die and-"

Harry stood and made his way over to Draco. He reached out and grabbed his arms and stopped his pacing. He pulled him towards him and hugged him. It seemed that was what he needed. Draco sagged in his arms and held on to him tightly. He sniffled several times and Harry felt some wetness on his shoulder, but said nothing. This was what he needed right now. They stood that way for several minutes just holding each other. Finally, Harry was able to coax him over to the couch and Draco sat down and Harry sat down next to him. They turned to face each other and Harry started to answer his questions.

"I was all over the place after the wedding. We stayed at Grimmauld, but that fell through because there were Death Eaters abound out there and then we camped for a really, really, really, long time. We were hunting down the horcurxes which were how Voldemort managed to stay alive. We had to destroy all of them for me to be able to get rid of him, finally. Ultimately, I didn't kill him, his spell backfired, but regardless he is gone with no way of coming back. Yes, your wand is what I've been using and helped me defeat Voldemort. Actually, technically the wand that he had was yours. You disarmed Dumbledore and Voldemort stole the wand from his tomb so it didn't work very well for him in the first place. Yes, I died. I was one of the horcruxes and I had to die in order to destroy it. I came back though-" Harry explained.

"You died. You willingly sacrificed yourself without even thinking about everyone else!" Draco exclaimed, set to get up again and pace. Harry reached out with his seeker like reflexes to place a restraining hand on his leg.

"I did think about everyone else. I thought about my friends and my family and you. If I didn't do what I did, we wouldn't be sitting here and having this conversation. I chose to come back because as much as I was ready to be done with all of this, I knew that it had to be me that defeated him and I knew that there were people that I needed to be with in this life, as much as I wanted to be with those who have passed, this is where I belong," he explained.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked after he spent a few moments processing through what Harry explained to him, trying to understand it all.

Harry sighed and looked down at his hands. "I don't know. I am really, really tired and I am looking forward to taking a real shower and sleeping in a real bed. I am overjoyed with our success, but I'm also deeply saddened at all the lives lost. I'm not sure if I'm okay, but I know that eventually I will be. Are you okay?"

Draco snorted. "You just died and came back to life and destroyed the darkest wizard of all time and you're asking me if I'm okay?" He shoved Harry's shoulder and rolled his eyes. Harry stared at him for a moment and Draco thought that he had said something wrong or that his reaction to him was not appropriate. He was about to apologize when Harry leaned forward and kissed Draco carefully. It was just a feather light kiss against his lips, but it sent Draco's heartbeat up a notch. Harry moved back and stared at him with wide, green eyes.

Draco stared back, unsure of what to do. Harry had just kissed him. Harry shook his head and stood, moving away from him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" he paused as he went back to the window. He took a deep breath. "No, actually, I'm not sorry. I have been thinking about you constantly and I don't know what I'm feeling and I know that I shouldn't even remotely be kissing you right now when I am such a mess. Merlin, I am sorry, Draco. I shouldn't have done that. I don't even know how you feel and-" At some point in his rambling, Draco had gotten up from the couch and made his way over to Harry.

Harry turned to look at him and he was pulled into the depths of Draco's stormy gray eyes. There was much to be seen in them and Draco did not hesitate to show exactly how he felt about Harry. He stepped forward and kissed him, firmly. He brought his hands up and cupped his face and kissed him like he had never kissed anyone in his life. Harry wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer.

They broke apart a moment later for some much needed air. "Much better than I imagined," Draco whispered.

Harry grinned and sighed. "Me too," he whispered.

They heard a noise outside the portrait and Draco stepped away from him. "Harry, I do feel something for you, obviously, but I don't want to start something with you after everything that you've been through. You need time to mourn and time to get back to as normal of a life as you can. I don't want to start a relationship with you and have you not be completely in it. I want us to happen, for real and I want it to happen under the very best of circumstances. You understand that, right?"

Harry stared at him in disbelief. He had just poured his soul out to him in that kiss and he was telling him that he didn't want to start something with him. That was absurd. Why kiss him that way if he didn't want something?

After his initial reaction of anger subsided, Harry understood. He was not fit to start something up with him and he did need to do all the things he said and he would. He nodded then which caused Draco to look relieved. "You're right, but before you go, can I just kiss you once more?" he asked shyly.

Draco blushed and stepped towards him again and allowed Harry to kiss him, even deeper than before. The kiss heated them both to their cores and made Draco want to reconsider what he said and just be with Harry so they could do more of this, but he knew that wouldn't be good. Harry broke the kiss reluctantly, just in time for the portrait to slide open and admit Hermione and Ron.

"I'll write you," he whispered as he squeezed Harry's hand and then turned and started for the door. He nodded to Hermione and Ron who stared at him in surprise and watched him leave. As soon as the portrait door closed, they turned to look at Harry who had his fingers at his lips and had a faraway look in his eyes. It didn't take a genius to see what had just happened.

"Malfoy, Harry? Really?" Ron asked in exasperation.

Harry looked at his two best friends and blushed, trying not to grin. Ron groaned and made a gagging sound as he threw himself on the couch. Hermione just laughed and shook her head. Harry joined them and sat down heavily. There was so much to deal with in a few hours, but all Harry wanted to do was just sit there with his friends and let the reality wash over him that Voldemort was finally gone and the next chapter of Harry's life could begin.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I thought I'd post one more chapter for the weekend as I probably won't be posting again until this coming weekend. Things are going to get angsty soon so be prepared. Enjoy this chapter! There's some snogging in this one and some foreshadow lol.**

Harry stood outside the courtroom, staring at the door, knowing that Draco and his mother were on the other side. Harry was testifying for them to hopefully prevent either one of them from going to Azkaban where Lucius was headed. He got a reduced sentence, but was going to be spending some time there and Lucius didn't want his son or wife joining him. At least Harry and Lucius could agree on something.

He took a deep breath and stepped into the courtroom. He closed the door quietly behind him and listened to the evidence that was stacked against Draco and his mother. There was quite a bit.

"It's listed here that Harry Potter is a witness for the defense?" the Chief Warlock said in surprise.

Draco and his mother shared the same surprise as the Chief Warlock. Harry hadn't told him that he was going to be a witness. "Yes, that's correct," Harry said as he stepped into the courtroom and stood next to Draco and his mother.

"Well, this is an interesting development. You may speak," the Chief Warlock said.

Harry nodded and glanced down at Draco. Their eyes met and locked. Harry smiled slightly which caused Draco to blush. Narcissa looked between the two in confusion. Harry turned back and stepped forward.

"Draco and Narcissa Malfoy were a part of a group of people who did horrible, horrible things to the Wizarding and Muggle world. They stood by and watched while other followers of Voldemort participated in the horrible deeds. As far as their own, personal participation goes, they didn't do much. Draco was tasked with something that no sixteen year old should have to do. Voldemort wanted to punish Lucius Malfoy, so he tasked Draco with letting in Death Eaters into Hogwarts and to kill Albus Dumbledore. If he didn't go through with it, Draco and his parents would have been killed. He hated every moment of what he was doing and even though he did let the Death Eaters in, he did not kill Albus Dumbledore. Later, when snatchers picked up myself and two of my friends, Draco would not identify me to his father thus saving me from certain death. Narcissa Malfoy saved my life when I faced Voldemort in the forest. To save you from the major details, I will just say that I died and came back to life. Voldemort directed her to check if I was dead or not. She knew I was alive, but told him that I wasn't. She saved my life and many others because if she had told him the truth, we would not be standing here today. I'd be dead and many of you would be as well. They witnessed horrible things and did nothing to stop them, but when you are under the thumb of a madman like Voldemort, who would kill you as quickly as if you were a pesky fly, you have no other choice, but to be a bystander. Was it right? No. Did they have a choice? No. Did they later choose to help our side even if it wasn't their main priority? Yes. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy were essential to defeating Voldemort, no matter their intentions. If they hadn't done what they did, this war would have turned out very, very different," Harry explained.

Harry glanced at Draco and Narcissa. Both of them were staring at him in disbelief. Draco turned to look at his mother with a questioning look. She nodded slightly and then Draco gave her a grateful look. Now it was her turn to give him a questioning look. Draco looked away, his cheeks coloring.

"You stand by what you're saying?" the Chief Warlock asked Harry.

"Yes," Harry replied simply.

The Chief Warlock nodded once. "Thank you, Mister Potter. You're excused," he said.

Harry nodded once, glanced at the Malfoys, and then walked out of the courtroom. Once he left, he paced for several minutes before he finally sat down on a bench nearby and placed his head in his hands. He really, really hoped that Draco would not be sent to Azkaban nor his mother.

After another hour, Harry heard the courtroom door open. He looked up and watched as Draco and his mother came out looking pleased. Harry stood and looked at them expectantly. Draco looked at him and started to rush towards him, but stopped himself. His mother gave him another questioning look.

"What's the verdict?" Harry asked.

Draco and his mother exchanged glances. She tipped her head to show Draco that she was going to wait for him near the lift. Harry gestured towards a small waiting area that was out of Narcissa's eye sight. They both stepped in and Harry cast a Notice-Me-Not spell. Draco smiled at him.

"I got three years probation, conditional house arrest, and I have to go back to Hogwarts in the fall," Draco replied.

Harry nodded and smiled in relief. "What about your mother?"

"She will be on five years probation and is confined to either Malfoy Manor or our estate in France. She is not able to leave the house for two years unless escorted by an auror agent or coming to Hogwarts in my aid. She has an alarm spell placed on her that will notify the aurors that she is violating her probation. I have the same alarm, but my house arrest is a bit more relaxed," Draco explained.

Harry felt better knowing that they were both free from Azkaban. "That's great, Draco. You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that," Harry replied.

Draco nodded. "We are too. My mother was quite surprised that she got so lucky. I'm also surprised about your testimony. I didn't know that Mother did that for you," Draco said in surprise.

"She never told you?" Harry asked.

Draco shook his head. "You didn't either," he pointed out.

Harry shrugged. "I thought it was something that your mother should share, not me. I am grateful to both of you. I don't think I had a chance to say thank you to either one of you," he replied.

Draco stepped towards him, wanting to kiss him so badly. He wasn't sure if he should since he did tell Harry that he wanted to give him time to adjust to his new reality, but Harry had just spared him and his mother from Azkaban. That deserved a kiss for sure.

"I want to kiss you, but I'm not sure if that would be appropriate considering where we are and what I told you the last time we were-" Harry cut him off by planting his lips on Draco's. He let out a surprised sound, but instantly responded, wrapping his arms tightly around Harry, pulling him as close as he could. Harry looped his arms around his neck and deepened their kiss, allowing Draco to explore his mouth eagerly. Neither one of them seemed to remember where they were exactly, but it seemed neither one of them cared.

They kissed passionately for a few more minutes before reality caught up to them and they broke their kiss, stepping back from each other. Both boys were blushing deeply, their lips red and swollen from their intense kissing.

"Draco, that was brilliant," Harry whispered in awe.

"Yeah, it was," Draco responded. They both laughed nervously. "I should probably go. My mother is surely losing patience with me. Um, I am going to France for the summer, to our estate up there. We are having contractors come in to renovate, remodel, decimate, whatever you want to call it, the Manor. Rid it of all the horrible things that happened there. I will be staying in France until Hogwarts starts. Will you write me, until we can see each other at Hogwarts again?"

Harry frowned. He wanted to spend more time with Draco. "Why can't I see you over the summer?"

Draco looked away from him. "I want you to be sure. If we do this, I'm in it for the long haul. I have always wanted you in some way since the day I first met you, actually, even before that. I want you to be one hundred percent about us before we start. You need time, Harry. I want to give you that time," he replied.

"But what if I don't want time? What if I've already made up my mind? I want you, Draco," he replied, his tone slightly begging.

Draco looked back at him and smiled. "One hundred percent sure, Harry. Please," he requested.

Harry sighed, but nodded. He didn't think he needed more time, but if Draco asked him that, he'd do it. "Fine, but I don't like it," he muttered petulantly.

Draco chuckled and leant forward to kiss him softly. "Shouldn't that be something I say?" he teased.

Harry smiled and shrugged. "I'll write you," he assured him.

"Good. I'll see you in a couple of months, back at school," Draco said as he leaned forward once more and kissed Harry's cheek. He stepped out of the waiting area and headed towards his mother.

"Yeah," Harry said, "Maybe," he finished quietly. He knew he wanted Draco, but he didn't know if he wanted to go back to Hogwarts.

Draco turned to look at him and Harry wondered if he heard him, but he just smiled and waved. Harry watched as Draco approached his mother. She gave him a look that suggested that she knew what had transpired between the two and Harry couldn't tell if she was angry about it or not. He felt his stomach flutter with nervousness. There might be a crutch in their plan regardless of the time that Harry supposedly needed and that crutch was Narcissa Malfoy.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This chapter is a bit angsty. Poor Harry :(. The first part is just some notes through a month of time passing. Enjoy!**

 _France is beautiful. There are vineyards surrounding our estate and my mother and I have been experimenting with different wine combinations. I think you'd like it here. Maybe someday you can come. I miss you. I keep thinking about that kiss and then the other kiss, oh and that last kiss…. So I keep thinking about kissing you. It's only been a week since I've seen you, but I can't stop thinking about you. What have you been up to?_

 _It does sound amazing. I hope that someday I will see it. I've never been a fan of wine, but maybe whatever you're coming up with will change that. I've been thinking about us, too, and our kissing. I am wondering what your mother thinks about us. Does she know? She seemed like she connected the dots after your trial. I'm not going to lie, her opinion makes me nervous. I have been sleeping A LOT and eating A LOT and being by myself. I've enjoyed it. Hermione and Ron are on holiday in Australia. Mostly they are getting Hermione's parents back, but also vacationing. They are officially an item now. It's about time, I say. I miss you, too._

 _My mother is…. I'm not sure. She knows. She figured it out at the trial. I'm just not sure what she thinks. She hasn't been talking to me about it and we've avoided all conversations about the war and Harry Potter. Although I value my mother's opinion, I'm not afraid to do what I want. If I want you, I'll have you no matter what she says. I've spent too many years doing what my parents thought was best for me and it turns out they were very, very wrong. There are pure blood expectations that have been in place since birth, but I don't want to go through with them. I want you._

 _You are so determined. I've always secretly admired that about you. No matter what it was, whether you were pushing me to my limit or tackling a task that you didn't want to do, you were determined. But Draco, I don't want you to cause unnecessary problems with your mother. You have the opportunity to finally have a real relationship with her. One that isn't dictated by your father or Voldemort. You are blessed with the opportunity, be thankful, there are others who could only wish for that chance._

 _I can have this opportunity and still have you. Don't tell me that you've already made up your mind. It's only been a month…. Have you really decided you don't want me?_

Harry stared at the note that he had just gotten. Had he made up his mind? He wasn't sure. He didn't want to cause Draco to miss out on something special that Harry only wished he could have. Did that mean that he didn't want him? He hadn't thought of anyone else, but him in that sense anyway, since that day in the second floor bathroom. Harry wasn't sure what he meant.

He sighed and chose not to respond at this moment. He had spent the better part of the month thinking about everything he'd gone through and every person who had died helping him. His rational brain reminded him that they chose to help and that he didn't make them help, but his emotional brain thought otherwise. He had serious guilt and had been having horrible nightmares since about two weeks after, after the euphoria of what he had accomplished wore off and the loneliness of not having anyone around seeped in.

He wanted his life to be normal, but no matter where he went or the time of day, someone constantly wanted his attention. Reporters intercepted him if he went out in public and he was constantly getting owls. He had responded to some in the beginning, but soon it became too much. Hermione had encouraged him to make a statement, but he wasn't ready to do that.

He hadn't told anyone that he wasn't sure if he wanted to go back to Hogwarts. He knew that if he wanted to have a career that he would need to, but the idea of going back there terrified him. He wished he had someone to talk to about it, but he had no one. Anyone he could talk to was either busy or mourning or both. That wasn't entirely true, he did have Draco. He sighed and grabbed some parchment. He needed to talk to someone and Draco wanted to be with him so he would need to know exactly what he was dealing with in regards to being with Harry Potter.

Harry wanted Draco to be one hundred percent, too. Even though he swore that he was, but he didn't know nearly all there was to know about him nor what goes on in his head. He needed to tell him.

Draco felt his pocket warm and he realized that he had been nervous for the past several minutes, waiting for Harry to send him a response. He didn't believe that he had already made up his mind. He reached in and pulled out the note.

 _I need to see you and talk to you. I have no one. There's so much going on in my head. You were right._

Draco frowned deeply and felt his heart beat faster. What was he right about? Harry's words did not seem comforting at all. Draco rushed from the room and ran to where his mother was. He burst into the sitting room, startling her.

"Draco! What on earth?" she demanded.

"I'm inviting Harry here and I need to know that you are going to be kind to him and not tell me that I shouldn't get involved with him or whatever. I like him…. a lot and he needs me. He's coming here," he told her.

She lifted one pale eyebrow at him. "What makes you think I have a problem with you and Mister Potter being a couple?"

That question sent the wind out of Draco's sails and he looked at her in confusion. "The expectations that have been in place since before I was born….." he said simply.

She waved her hand and shook her head. "No longer important. I am realizing that going after what you want is better than going after what is expected. If Mister Potter is who you want to be with, so be it. Heirs can be made with or without a wife. Besides, Mister Potter is a brilliant match for you. How could I not want that for you?" she replied.

Draco stared at her in disbelief. He wondered if she was having him on, but he knew that his mother didn't joke. She was being serious. She just smiled and went back to her book. Draco gaped at her for a moment longer before he left the room, still perplexed and wrote a note back to Harry.

 _Malfoy Chateau. The floo is open._

Harry read the note and nodded. He ran upstairs and packed a bag. He sincerely hoped that he was making the right choice.

Harry tumbled out of Draco's floo and stood there, getting his bearings. He brushed the ashes off his pants and looked around. Draco skidded into the room, blushing at being caught being less than calm.

"You're here," he said breathlessly. He frowned as he took Harry in. He looked unwell. His frowned deepened as he stepped towards him. His hair seemed lank and he looked far too skinny, more so than usual. His clothes were wrinkled and he was pale, with dark circles under his eyes. "Harry," he whispered in disbelief.

"Yeah, I must look awful…." Harry said tiredly, trailing off at the end.

Draco tried to not let the worry build. He had enjoyed not worrying about Harry over the past month, but it appeared that he should have still been worrying. "Come upstairs and we'll get you situated in one of the guest rooms." Draco turned on his heel, hoping that Harry would follow. He could have walked next to him, but he didn't want him to see him trembling.

He glanced over his shoulder and noted that Harry was following him and taking in the way the place looked. He sighed and headed towards a set of stairs. He started up them, nervous energy emanating from his pores. Harry definitely needed some help. He wasn't sure he was the one to do it though.

He walked past his room and to a door that was diagonal from his room. He opened it and turned to see Harry looking even more tired than he had before. "My room is right across from this one. If you need anything, I'll be in there. Now let's get you situated," Draco paused as he looked at Harry's clothes once again. He realized that he was wearing pajamas. "Well, at least you won't need to change your clothes." He pulled the blankets back and gestured to the bed. Harry set his bag down and crawled into it. He looked exhausted. "Now, let me get you some tea and something to eat. Also, I'm going to give you a dreamless sleep potion because you honestly look like you haven't slept in days," he finished.

"That would be accurate," he slurred as he climbed into bed and his eyes drifted closed.

Draco watched him for a moment. He decided that he'd send a house elf to get what was needed as Harry should not be left alone. "Tilly!" he called and an elf materialized in front of him. "Please get a dreamless sleep potion, tea, and soup for Harry." The elf nodded and disappeared. Draco stood next to Harry for a moment, watching him. He grabbed the blankets and covered him. Tilly came back into the room with the things Draco requested. He thanked the elf and grabbed the tea. "Harry, sit up for a moment. Drink some tea and eat some soup."

Harry sat up tiredly and did as he was told. He drank all of the tea, and ate most of the soup. He wanted to fall back onto the pillows and sleep, but Draco made him drink the dreamless sleep potion before he could do that. Harry settled back and closed his eyes. "Thank you, Draco," he whispered before he drifted off to sleep.

Draco sighed and stepped back from the bed. He took a seat nearby and watched Harry for a while. Gone was the boy who captivated him so many times and preoccupied every part of his mind that wasn't focused on something else. What he had in front of him was someone who had a weight lifted off his shoulder and another one was put on. He went from one stressful thing to another.

Draco left him after he was sure that the potion was helping. He went to his room and to his writing desk and sat down. He penned a letter and sent it on with his owl. Why had Harry been allowed to go this far into depression? He sighed, grabbed a book, and went back to Harry's room. Harry was still very much asleep so Draco settled down in his seat and sat vigil next to him.

An hour later, there was a tapping noise at the window. Draco stood and opened the window, letting an owl in. He took the note from its leg and sent it on its way.

 _Malfoy,_

 _Ron and I have not been in London for the past month. We went to find my parents and then spent some time in Australia. Every time I spoke with Harry he said that he was fine. I should have known that he was just telling me that. I've spoken to the Weasleys and they haven't seen or spoken to Harry at all. I've asked some others and they've told me the same. I didn't know. Ron and I would have come home immediately. We can get a portkey for this evening and will be home tonight._

 _Granger_

Draco wrote her back, encouraging her to stay put. He would take care of things. He was sure the two would not like that, but Harry had sought him out, out of everyone that he could. He wanted his help and no one else's. He wasn't going to let him go on like this.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: So this starts out quite dramatic and angsty and I'm not sure that it's entirely accurate of emotions, but I think it makes sense to me. I might post another chapter today, but it probably won't be until next weekend. Enjoy! Thanks again for the reviews and follows :)**

Draco snorted and startled awake. He felt like someone was staring at him. He rubbed his eyes and noted how dark it was in the room he was in, but standing out in the darkness, in a sliver of moonlight, were bright green eyes behind black round rimmed glasses. It took him a moment to realize who those eyes belonged to and the fact that they were in a guest room at the Malfoy Chateau. He stood and moved over to the bed, sitting down next to the man who had been occupying his mind for months, years.

"Harry," he whispered. Harry rolled onto his back and gestured to the empty space next to him. Malfoy blushed slightly, but moved to the spot. He propped a pillow up behind his back and leaned against it. He barely settled in before Harry rolled over and wrapped his arms around Draco's waist and snuggled against his stomach. Draco let out a surprised gasp, but wrapped one arm around him, propping him up. He brought his other hand to Harry's hair, something he'd wanted to touch for years, assuming that it would be coarse and rough, but actually turned out to be quite soft. He slipped his fingers through his hair and noticed that Harry's breath was slowing.

"I'm sorry. I needed to hold on to someone real," Harry whispered.

Draco felt warmth building in him at having Harry so close. It made everything seem right in the world again. "You don't need to apologize," he assured him.

"When I woke-up, I saw you there, but I didn't think you were real. It broke my heart to stare at you and think you weren't real, but I thought that at least I could look at you," he sighed and snuggled into me further.

"Harry," Draco replied, his voice breaking. "What happened to you?"

Harry didn't speak for a long time. Draco thought for sure that he had fallen asleep again, but then he heard sniffling and knew that he had been trying to keep himself from crying. "I spent too much time alone. I started out doing really well, but then time drew on and the more and more I thought about what had happened and all the people who had died because of me, the more and more I spiraled into a depression. I couldn't eat and I couldn't sleep because anytime I closed my eyes, I'd have horrible nightmares. All of those people!" he sobbed.

Draco stared down at Harry in alarm. He had never, ever seen Harry Potter cry and now he was sobbing in his lap. He didn't know exactly what to do here. Emotions like crying were unheard of in the Malfoy family, but he figured that this was something Harry needed. Draco had cried many times in sixth year and it always relieved some stress. Hopefully that's what this would do. He maneuvered himself so that he was lying next to him and he felt his heart break again when Harry clutched him and cried even harder.

Draco felt tears pricking in the corners of his eyes, but he tried hard not to let them fall, but they did and soon he was silently crying with Harry, comforting him at the same time. It took several minutes before Harry finally calmed down and only sniffled a few times. Draco's shirt was soaked, but he didn't care.

"You've been keeping that inside for a long time," Draco whispered as he smoothed Harry's hair for the hundredth time.

"Too long. I hope you weren't wearing your favorite shirt," Harry joked back.

"Not at all and even if I was, it doesn't matter," he replied. Harry snuggled into him more.

"Thank you for letting me come here. I wish that I was coming on better terms than I am," Harry muttered.

"Heroes need help too. That's what sidekicks are for. Granted, I'm not your typical sidekick and I'm coming in a little late, but I'm here and I want to help you in any way that I can. I'm here for you," he assured.

Harry tipped his head up and looked up at Draco. He popped up on his elbow and looked down at Draco. The sincerity was there in his voice as well as on his face. Harry leaned forward and kissed him tentatively. Draco responded carefully, but kept his hands to himself. Harry leaned back and looked down at him. Draco searched his eyes and saw determination and soon he saw exactly what the determined look meant. Harry kissed him more firmly and slid his tongue along his bottom lip. Draco responded instantly, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him closer to him. Their heads tipped in opposite directions as they deepened their kiss. Harry whimpered as he slipped his hand under Draco's shirt. His fingers brushed Draco's stomach and it was at that moment that Draco's rational brain caught up with him and he pulled away, breathing heavily.

"Harry, stop," he ordered. Harry leaned back and looked down at him in surprise. He moved his hands and slid away from him looking sheepish.

"I'm sorry," he said shaking his head.

Draco could see him closing in on himself and he nearly regretted stopping him. He sat up and moved close to him. "Don't be. I just…. I don't want it to be this way," he told him.

Harry looked up at him with a glint of anger in his eyes. "You don't want me anymore?"

Draco's eyes widened in alarm. "Of course, I do! Salazar, Harry, it's all I think about. I don't want us to start out like this. You're not well and like I told you before, I don't want to get together with you until you're sure," he reminded him.

Harry narrowed his gaze at him. "I _am_ sure. I want to be with you," he countered.

Draco sighed and hung his head. "Harry, did you not hear yourself sobbing not even a half hour ago? You're not okay. I'm here for you, but I can't start something with you when you still have so much to deal with, no matter how badly I want to. Please, Harry, I want this to be right."

Harry sighed and reached out to take Draco's hands in his own. "I know. I'm not thinking straight. I'm sorry," he apologized. He squeezed Draco's hands and then lied back down, turning his back to Draco. "Being with you feels right, but I understand what you want," Harry whispered. He said nothing more and Draco stared down at him, wishing that he could just be with him, damn how they got together, but he knew that if he wanted it to last, Harry had to be well. Harry took his glasses off and set them on his night stand. Draco knew that they were done for tonight so he slid off the bed and headed for the door.

"Good night, Harry," he said quietly.

"Night, Draco," he whispered back.

Draco watched his still form for a moment longer before he left his room and walked across the hall to his own. He got into bed, after changing, but didn't fall asleep for a long time. **XXXX**

The next morning, Draco left his room and walked over to Harry's. He knocked and waited. "Come in!" he called.

He took a deep breath and opened the door. Harry was sitting on his bed, slipping his shirt on. He looked over at Draco and smiled slightly. He looked a little better than yesterday. "Morning," Draco said as he stepped closer.

"Morning," Harry replied coolly.

Draco sighed and shifted his weight. "How are you feeling today?"

"A little better, I think. I'm actually starving so that's new," he responded with a laugh.

Draco smiled. "Well, let's head downstairs," he said as he gestured for Harry to follow him.

They made their way downstairs, not speaking much. Draco kept stealing glances at Harry who just stared straight ahead, keeping an eye on where he was walking. "Harry, wait," Draco said as he reached out and touched his arm to stop him.

Harry stopped, but didn't look at him. Draco frowned at him. "Look, I don't want this to be awkward. I'm sure you think I'm being unreasonable, but I really think it will be better this way," Draco told him.

Harry sighed and looked down in front of him and then he turned to look up at him. He still looked hurt and lost, but he also looked determined. "It's not going to be awkward. The chateau seems big enough. I'll just keep to myself while I sort through things. I still want to be here, but I'm not sure I can be around you without wanting to snog you or something. I know I can't be alone; I'm smart enough to realize that. I'll stay for a bit and hopefully I'll be better and then I'll be out of your hair," he replied.

Draco growled in annoyance. "You don't need to avoid me. We're still friends, Harry. Come on now. You're not a burden at all. My end goals are the same as yours. First, I want you better and then second, I want to be in a relationship with you. The same goals as you."

Harry sighed. "Whatever you say, Draco," he muttered as he started down the hall again towards the dining area. Draco threw his hands up in frustration, but decided that Harry needed space. He'd give him space even though he absolutely hated the idea.

They joined his mother for breakfast and made small talk with her. Harry actually ate most of his breakfast before he excused himself and retired upstairs. Draco sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face.

"What's the matter, Dragon?" Narcissa asked as she set down her fork.

"Just Harry, mother," he commented sadly as he moved food around on his plate a few times before he simply pushed it away.

"I thought you wanted him to be here," she said.

"I do, most definitely, but not like it's going," he replied.

"How is it going? He seemed well enough today," she pointed out.

He sighed and blushed. "Last night, we sort of lied together and we kissed a lot, but I stopped it," he said quietly. He glanced over at his mother who was blushing slightly, but maintaining her composure.

"Why did you stop it?" she asked carefully.

"Because I don't want to start something with him when he's as messed up as he is. I told him that after the war. I told him that at the hearing and I told him last night. He has to be all in and he's just not ready for it," he reasoned.

Narcissa frowned and studied her son. "Are you Mister Potter?" she asked.

Draco looked at her in confusion. "No," he replied.

"Are you inside Mister Potter's head?" she asked.

Draco frowned. "No."

"Then who are you to decide what he wants and doesn't want?" she asked.

He frowned further and looked away from her penetrating gaze. "Well, I just don't think he knows what he wants," he stuttered.

"Draco, I think that you're trying to protect yourself from being hurt. You make a valid point about him having a lot to go through and not being ready, but it's up to him to decide if he's ready or not. You can't decide for him. Maybe being with you will help him get through it better than just being your friend. Just think about it, Dragon," she told him. She stood and patted his shoulder before she left the room.

Draco sat back and stared blankly at his mother's seat. He wasn't sure if she was right, but her logic made sense. He didn't want to get hurt and he knew that Harry could hurt him deeply, especially if he considered Draco a rebound of sorts from the nonsense of the war. He sighed and stood. He wanted to give Harry space. He didn't want to push him. He'd give him some time and then see if his mother was correct.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Another chapter is here! I think you'll like the ending of this one. At least I hope so. Enjoy :)**

The first few days were still awkward. Harry joined Draco and his mother at meal times, but spent the rest of the time in his room or walking the grounds of the chateau or flying. He started to look better over those few days and less hollow. The dark circles under his eyes started to go away. Draco knew that Harry was still having nightmares as he stood outside his door and heard him crying out, but they seemed to have lessened somewhat. He didn't know what he was thinking as he didn't seem to want to talk to him much anymore or at least about serious things.

Draco decided into the second week that he was going to talk to him and see if he was ready to talk to him some. Draco hated him being there within his grasp, but not. He had spent so long not seeing him that being able to see him, but not talk to him or touch him made it even worse.

Draco walked up to his door and knocked. He waited, but heard nothing inside. Draco hadn't seen him since breakfast and he had missed lunch. He wasn't in his room it seemed so Draco decided to head outside and see if he was out there. He saw his mother sitting on the sun porch reading a book.

"Have you seen Harry?" he asked.

"I saw him go flying about an hour before lunch," she replied.

Draco nodded and set out into the yard. He looked up into the sky and saw a faint spot flying through the air. He grabbed an extra broom and took off into the air. He flew around for a bit and finally found Harry staring out across the cliffs that faced the English Channel. He pulled up next to him and stared out into the dark blue water. He looked over at Harry who was sporting pink cheeks and windblown hair. He had a small smile on his face and his eyes seemed to reflect the water and stand out more on his skin. Draco was struck by how amazing he looked and his want for Harry flared.

"Flying always seems to clear my head best. I could never tire of this," Harry said, sounding far off.

"Eventually your arse will disagree with you though," Draco joked.

Harry laughed quietly and nodded. "It's beginning to protest. I'll admit that," he commented.

Draco stared at him. He looked so much better already, but he still seemed so lost. His mother's words were dancing around in his brain, reminding him of what she said. He sighed. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Harry smiled slightly. "Better, thank you. I think what I really needed was to be around people and be around someone who cares so deeply for me. I'm having less nightmares and I'm starting to accept what happened and the people who died. I'm beginning to realize that it isn't my fault and that they willingly participated in the cause. I just wish I hadn't let it go so long," he replied quietly.

Draco stared at him in surprise. They barely spoke over the past week and he was unsure how he remotely helped. "I must have just been silently supporting you," he responded, a bit of hurt in his tone.

Harry looked over at him finally. His expression was apologetic and guilty. Draco stared into his eyes, seeing every emotion he was feeling there. He frowned and looked away feeling bad for showing how upset he was. "You were, but that's what I needed. Just knowing that you were here, in the same place as me, was helpful. I know I've been distant, but to get through all of this, it's what I needed. I'm starting to feel like myself again," he explained.

Draco sighed. "I understand and I'm here in any way that you need," he told him, again.

Harry nodded. "Your mother has been surprisingly kind. I thought for sure she'd have a hard time having me here," he commented.

Draco laughed quietly. "My mother told me, before you got here, that the expectations that were in place when I was younger are no longer in place," he said quietly.

Harry startled at that and looked at him in surprise. "You don't have to get married and produce an heir?"

"Oh, I do, eventually, but not to a woman. She told me that there are other ways to produce an heir and that she just wants me to be happy," Draco told him.

Harry's eyes widened and his expression became thoughtful as he looked back out over the water. "That's…. great," he whispered.

"It is. It opens up the door to many possibilities," Draco replied quietly.

"Or one?" Harry asked hopefully.

Draco glanced over at him. He smiled slightly. "Or one," he agreed.

They hovered in silence for several minutes. Draco felt a little better about things in relation to Harry and he was worrying a bit less, but the future was still quite unknown for them. Draco looked over at Harry with a thoughtful expression.

"Do you want to head back and maybe watch a movie or something?" Draco suggested nervously.

Harry looked over at him in surprise. "You have something to watch a movie on?" he asked in disbelief.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I do. I went through a muggle part of town once, with my mother, and saw one. I thought it was fascinating so she secretly got me one. We found a spell to make it immune so to speak to magic and I would watch it all the time. I think my father knew, but he never told me I couldn't. Sometimes I wondered if he watched it himself when I wasn't there," Draco mused, mostly to himself towards the end.

Harry watched him share his story and saw sadness in his eyes. It was the first time that he realized that he wasn't the only one affected by the war which made his devastation seem more normal and common. Draco lost his father in the war and despite all the horrible things he did, at the end of the day, he was still his father.

"That sounds like a good idea. Let's go," Harry said as he turned his broom around in the direction of the chateau. He was about to take off in flight, but paused and looked back at Draco with a challenging look. He lifted his brow and Draco smirked as he flipped around and lined up next to Harry.

"One, two, three!" they both shouted and took off towards the chateau. They were both low over their brooms, going faster than usual.

Harry edged Draco and Draco edged Harry as they flew back to the chateau. By the time they were within a kilometer of the house, they were perfectly even. Draco pushed his broom down to land and Harry followed. They reached the gardens and Draco touched down first with Harry just a millisecond behind. Draco's legs were longer so he was making good progress, but Harry was quicker. By that point, they were both laughing harder than they had in months and they weren't really sure who won, so they called it a draw and went inside, still laughing.

They stopped in the kitchens for some snacks and drinks and headed upstairs to Draco's room. Harry paused once he stopped inside Draco's door and looked around. "This is your room?" he asked in disbelief.

Draco walked over to the sitting room portion of his room and set the snacks on the small table. He looked up at Harry and glanced around his room, not really understanding why Harry sounded the way he did about it. "Yes, why?" he asked in confusion.

Harry's eyes widened more at Draco's nonchalant attitude about the room. "Because it's amazing! This room is probably as big as the whole house I grew up in. You could practically live here!" he exclaimed.

Draco frowned slightly at the concept of Harry living in a house that was the same size as his room. "Well, practically. I don't have a kitchen or a library, but I do have a bathroom, a bed, a closet, and a sitting area with only five bookshelves. I really should get a sixth bookshelf," he contemplated as he looked around his sitting area.

"And a tele," Harry pointed out as he gestured towards the entertainment center that was flanked by two, very large bookcases filled to the brim with books.

Draco glanced at it and opened the doors. "Yes, and a tele," he responded. Harry's eyes widened at the tele that was behind the doors. It was huge. He was used to a small tele, even the tele that Dudley had paled in comparison. Harry walked over and looked through the small assortment of DVDs that Draco had. He selected a comedy and put it into the DVD player that accompanied the tele.

Draco had settled onto the couch, watching Harry's movements. Harry turned to look at him and their eyes met and held for just a moment. Harry blushed slightly and then walked around the table and settled next to Draco on the couch. This was the first time they'd been alone since the first night.

They watched the movie, legs and hands nearly touching. Harry felt tense and Draco felt tense. The whole movie idea was awkward. Draco sighed and paused the movie after about a half an hour. He turned to face Harry with a frown. "I can feel the tension radiating off of you," he pointed out.

Harry sighed and turned to look at him as well. Their knees were touching now. "Yeah, I know, but you're tense too," he retorted.

"Because you're so tense!" Draco cried in response.

Harry huffed and looked away from him, glaring slightly. Draco frowned further and looked down at his hands. "I don't want it to be awkward, but I feel like we need to talk, more," he said quietly.

"So talk. What do you need to talk about?" Draco replied in exasperation.

Harry turned his glare on him. "Tired of me already?" he demanded.

Draco growled and narrowed his gaze. "No. What I'm tired of is giving you space. I want to talk to you and be with you all the time, but I can't," he responded in frustration.

"I've been here for nearly two weeks. There have been plenty of times that you could have talked to me or been with me!" Harry cried.

Draco shook his head. "No there haven't been. You've been avoiding me!"

Harry gaped and stared at him. "I have not been avoiding you! You've been avoiding me!"

They glared at each other for several minutes until Draco softened his look and sighed. "This isn't helping," he said quietly.

"What will help?" Harry asked quietly.

"I don't know. I guess, for us to just finally be us," Draco sighed.

"We can, you know. You and I can finally be together if you're willing and wanting," Harry said quietly.

Draco looked over at him. "But-" Harry shook his head and moved up to his knees. Draco was leaning against the sofa arm with his knees up, watching him. He moved into the space between Draco's knees and settled his hands on either side of Draco's shoulders. Draco's breath caught as he looked up at him and the intense look Harry was giving him.

"I've spent this entire time thinking and thinking. Partially avoiding you, yes so that I can think about what you wanted me to, but Draco, I keep coming to the same conclusion. I want to be with you. I don't want to just be your friend. I want to be _with_ you in all ways possible. Now that I know that you don't have to fulfill your expectations, I want you so much more. My destined path has finally ended and I'm ready for a new path," Harry whispered as he moved closer to Draco, hovering above his lips.

"What's your new path?" Draco asked his voice shaky and quiet.

Harry smiled slightly. "You, I hope," he replied as he pressed his lips against Draco's.

Draco's eyes widened momentarily, but every pent-up feeling that he had since Harry kissed him that first night at the chateau bubbled to the surface and he kissed him back. He gripped Harry's waist and tipped his head to the side, deepening their kiss. Harry slid his tongue across Draco's bottom lip, asking for entrance. Draco granted his request and allowed Harry to explore his mouth with new interest.

At some point, Draco had slid down to lie on the couch, Harry settled over him, never breaking their kiss. They were both hard and aching and Draco knew that if he gave his mind time to think, he'd be stopping this, but he ignored it. He wanted Harry. He had for a long time and now he had him. His mother's words flitted around in his head as he remembered what she said about not being able to say one way or the other what Harry wanted since he wasn't in his head.

Draco arched up into Harry, pressing their erections together, bringing some sort of relief to the achiness. Harry gasped and broke their kiss as he buried his face in Draco's neck, breathing quickly. He turned his head and pressed his lips against his ear, pressing kisses everywhere that he could on that side, eliciting several soft moans from Draco. He leaned back and looked down at Draco. There was so much emotion in his eyes that Harry couldn't breathe for a moment. He was swimming in the silvery pools for a brief moment before he was overcome with emotion himself and he started to kiss him more fervently.

Draco responded in kind and wrapped his arms around Harry, devouring him. Their movements were quick as each tried to gain something over the other. At nearly the same moment, they tensed and buried their faces into each other's necks, breathing heavily and shaking from their toes to their head.

After several minutes, their breathing calmed and their grip on each other relaxed. "Harry, are you sure?" Draco whispered.

Harry sat up and looked down at him. He brushed his fingers against his cheek and across his lips. "We don't have an expiration date anymore," he whispered back.

Draco looked at him in confusion. "Expiration date?"

"Yeah, you know because of the expectations. Those were in our way and now they aren't. To be honest Draco, there isn't much that can hurt me in life, but not being able to be with you for however long we want, would hurt me deeply. It's in the top three of hurts," Harry explained.

Draco sighed. "I don't want to be hurt either," he said, blushing at his revelation. His mother had been right about that.

"Is that why you pushed me to be sure?" Harry asked, realization settling in.

Draco's blush deepened and he averted his eyes and said nothing, giving Harry his answer. Harry sighed and leaned forward to kiss him softly. "I understand now, or well, more than I did before," Harry whispered.

Harry leaned back and looked down at Draco again. Their eyes met again and held. Draco searched for any change of mind in Harry's eyes, but saw none. Harry did the same and could see a bit of reluctance there. He frowned.

"You're not sure?" he asked, pushing up and sliding off of Draco and pulling his knees up to his chest at the opposite end of the couch.

Draco frowned and looked at Harry nervously. "I'm sure, but it doesn't mean I'm any less scared," he says.

Harry frowned. "What are you scared about?"

"That we'll get together and be good for awhile and then things will just fall apart and I'll be hurt and you'll be hurt and we won't be together anymore. I don't think I can deal with that. My feelings for you are that deep," Draco answered, bringing his knees up and dropping his head into his hands.

Harry sighed. "Draco, there is always a chance that anything will fall apart. If I've learned anything in the war, it's that you have to take the chance. If you don't, you'll miss your opportunity," he replied.

"You sound like you've experienced it," Draco says suspiciously as he looks up at him.

Harry shrugged. "Yes and I know of others too," he replied.

"Explain," Draco drawls.

"Okay, well, I could have insisted that I get to spend more time with Sirius than I did and he died so….." Harry trailed off, frowning and wiping at his eyes absently.

"Harry," Draco whispers.

"Did you know that Snape was in love with my mother?" Harry asked.

Draco's eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?"

"No. I saw his memories, the night he died. He gave them to me. He never told her. He never took a chance," Harry responded.

Draco stared at him in disbelief. He had no idea that Snape would have ever thought that about Harry's mother. "But he hated you so much," he said in confusion.

Harry chuckled. "Well, I do look like my father. The only physical feature that I have from my mother, are my eyes. He hated my father very much therefore he hated me, but needed to protect me. It's strange. You know, that's something else I could have taken a chance on, getting to know Snape instead of hating him and being suspicious of him for so many years," Harry mused, looking towards the window with a far off look.

Draco watched him as he contemplated what he was saying. He did want to be with him, but he couldn't help, but be afraid of getting hurt in the end. He had always done everything that was expected of him and had little choice in what he did. He also wasn't sure if Harry was completely better, but then a voice, which sounded very much like his mother, reminded him that he wasn't in Harry's head so he didn't know what he was really feeling. He had to take a chance. He couldn't miss out on getting the one thing he had wanted for the past seven years.

"Okay," he whispered.

Harry looked back over at him with wide eyes. "Okay?" he asked uncertainly.

Draco grinned. "Okay," he repeated.

"As in, you want to be with me, give me a chance?" Harry questions, leaning forward.

"Yes," Draco replies.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Here is another chapter! I will post one more tomorrow night so that you all can hopefully be satisfied until next week. Anyway, I've got great news! I finalized my ending plan! I've been playing around with several ideas and this morning, while I was trying to sleep in, I settled on one. It's still a long way off so don't stress about this story ending anytime soon. Thank you for the reviews and new adds. I love it!**

 **P.S. There is some smutty goodness in this chapter... You've been warned.**

It seemed that things changed after that and Harry and Draco were inseparable around the chateau. It was rare to see either without the other except at night when they reluctantly parted ways for bed. Once in bed, they spent at least an hour sending notes back and forth through their pockets and still had plenty to say to one another in the morning. Narcissa watched them every day, pleased at how happy her son was after being so unhappy for so long. Things were easy. Harry was feeling better and better every day and Draco was relaxing more and more. He was allowing himself to hope that with Harry by his side, going back to Hogwarts would be so much easier now. Life would be easier.

Three weeks later, in the middle of August, Harry was preparing to return to the real world. Hermione and Ron had been begging to see him for the past three weeks and he finally felt that it was time to head home. He didn't want to leave Draco whatsoever, but he knew that it was time to head back home.

He stood in his room, thinking over the past five weeks as he packed his bag. Draco hadn't come in to see him and Harry knew that he didn't want him to leave. Their relationship was solid and they had been taking things much slower than they had started out. Neither one wanted to rush for too much too soon. Their weakness when they got together was flitting around in the back of their minds, but they never did anything more than that again. The desire they had for one another seemed like it had calmed. Neither one thought that it signaled that maybe they weren't as attracted to the other. They knew that wasn't the case at all. They were being careful as to not pressure one another.

"I know I haven't voiced this out loud, but I'm going to now. I don't want you to leave, Harry," Draco said from the doorway. Harry turned to look at him. Draco had his arms crossed and was trying to look casual as he leaned against the door jamb, but his eyes betrayed him and the way his brow was furrowed told Harry that he was anything, but casual right now.

He walked over to him and rested his hands on his crossed arms, looking up at him. "I know, but you're going back to the Manor soon and school will be starting up again. Hermione and Ron are this close to coming through your floo and dragging me back home. I need to spend time with my friends. Besides, I'll see you in a couple of days, right?" he assured. He leaned up and kissed the corner of his mouth. He saw Draco flutter his eyes closed and felt his arms drop from his chest as he wrapped his arms around Harry and pulled him against him. He tilted his head so that he could capture the next gentle kiss that Harry was about to plant at the corner. Harry responded instantly, wishing that he could just drag him over to the bed and have his way with him, but he wouldn't because they were being careful and slow.

Draco was having the same inner battle. He wanted Harry more and more, every time they kissed. He wanted to try things and do things and bring their connection closer, but he didn't. He waited. He didn't push. "I know, but when I've been able to spend every day for the past five weeks with you, spending even a couple of days away from you is maddening," he replied petulantly.

Harry looked up at him with a grin. "So what you're saying is that you haven't had enough of me yet?"

"Never," Draco whispered as he kissed Harry deeply once again, pushing against his hips, guiding him towards the bed. Harry gasped as he fell back, his packed bag falling to the floor, spilling some of its contents. Harry looked up at Draco's bright gray eyes. He had a small smile on his face and his eyes raked over Harry. He felt his heart beating fast, surprised that he was being so bold. They had been trying to keep things going slowly, but it was apparent at this moment that Draco was done with that, at least for now. Harry couldn't complain.

Draco settled over him and pressed their lips together again. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's waist, sliding his hands down to his arse, pushing him down for even more closeness. Draco broke away, groaning and buried his face at Harry's shoulder. "We should stop," he whispered, pained.

"I don't want to," Harry replied.

Draco lifted his head and looked down at him. There was no hesitation in Harry's eyes and he wanted him, badly. Draco ignored the voice in his head that was telling him to go slow and started kissing on Harry again. His tongue slipped between his lips, delving into Harry's mouth, exploring. Harry returned the kiss eagerly, arching his back and pushing his hips up into Draco's. Draco broke away; groaning again as the pressure of hard cock against hard cock nearly undid him.

He moved away from Harry's lips and started kissing along his jaw and down his neck. He moved down his t-shirt clad chest, eyeing his destination with both desire and anxiety. Harry watched him, looking very much the same. Draco brought his shaking hands to Harry's belt and undid it. Slowly, he unbuttoned his trousers, and slid them down his thighs. Harry watched and trembled. They had never gone this far. The furthest they had gone had been that first night they got together.

Draco gave him a questioning look and Harry just nodded in agreement. With renewed desire and a little less anxiety, he looked down at Harry's package and slid his pants down and away. Draco's eyes widened at the sight. His mouth suddenly went dry and he instantly forgot what he was planning to do. He'd seen plenty of cocks, but never like this. It was a sight to behold. He glanced back at Harry who was staring back at him in concern. He smiled slightly before taking a deep breath and leaning down, sliding his tongue along the underside. Harry gasped loudly at the contact and lifted his hips. Draco backed off for just a moment and looked up at him again. Harry's eyes were closed and he was biting his lip. The way he looked sent shockwaves through Draco and straight to his now leaking member. He'd barely done anything and he was just about undone.

He went back to work and licked up and down and around. One hand massaged Harry's sac and based on his reaction, it was definitely an appreciated gesture. Eventually, Draco licked tentatively at Harry's head and got a bead of come in his mouth. It tasted bitter and salty, but not completely horrible so he continued. Finally, he placed his whole mouth over Harry, sliding down and closing around him. Harry cried out in surprise and nearly choked Draco when his hips jerked up. Draco backed off for a moment, waiting for Harry to relax before he continued his exploration. Soon, he had found a rhythm and Harry was writhing underneath him while Draco's cock leaked profusely, wanting attention.

The blankets bunched under his own aching cock and soon he was pushing into the bed while moving up and down Harry's shaft. He brought his hand up and it wasn't long before Harry was crying out in warning. Draco moved back, getting some come in his hair as he watched Harry come all over his stomach, coming himself at just the mere sight of Harry's face screwed up in pleasure. Harry was panting as the orgasm slowly began to leave him.

Harry's eyes opened some time later and met Draco's. A blush was forming on his cheeks and Draco knew that he was blushing just as much. Draco leaned over and grabbed his wand which had fallen out at some point. He sent a cleaning spell at Harry as well as himself and then settled next to him. They stared up at the ceiling, their fingers linked.

"I feel like we waited a _really_ long time to do that…." Harry trailed off.

Draco chuckled. "Yeah, I was thinking that too. No pressure?"

Harry smiled and turned into his side and rested his head on his shoulder. "No pressure," he repeated. They laid that way for several minutes just enjoying each other for the few more minutes that they had.

He sighed after awhile and pushed up on one elbow. He looked down at him. "I should be heading home. I need to be at the Burrow soon. I'm going to miss you until you're back in England," he whispered as he turned and pressed a kiss to Draco's chest.

Draco looked over at him and smiled. He felt a tickle in his nose that he knew was ridiculous, but he felt that by Harry leaving that everything they had been through and accomplished in the five weeks since he had arrived would be for naught and things would go back to the way they were before. Harry returned the smile and pushed up from the bed. He pulled his trousers up and secured them. He leaned down and picked up the spilled contents of his bag and put it back into the bag and zipped it up. He shrunk it down and placed in his pocket.

Draco watched him, the anxiety seeping in further. Harry met his gaze and frowned. "What's the matter, Draco?" he asked as he settled next to him.

He shook his head and threw an arm over his eyes. "I'm being dramatic, I know. I'm just really worried about you leaving," he replied with a deep sigh.

Harry sighed and reached over to caress his arm. "Why?"

Draco sighed again. "I guess I'm just worried that once you leave, things will go back to being the way they were before you got here. I don't want to go back to that," he replied.

Harry frowned and looked thoughtful. "I am so much better now. You don't need to worry about it. Everything will be fine," he assured.

Draco nodded. "Alright, well, then, I guess I will see you in a couple of days. Enjoy your time with your friends again." His insides were still churning in anxiety, but he tried to ignore it. Things would be fine. Harry said they would, so they would. He stood up after Harry did and followed him out of the room and down to the floo. Narcissa was waiting for them. She looked up at Harry with a fond smile and hugged him. Draco stared at the two in surprise, never expecting this action from his mother. Harry returned the hug with equal feeling and then turned to look at Draco.

He stepped towards him and smiled up at him. "I'll see you in a few days. Write me, okay?" he whispered as he leant up and kissed Draco on the corner of his mouth. He wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly. Draco's eyes fluttered closed at the kiss and the embrace and he buried his face in Harry's neck, pressing his lips against his neck.

"Of course," Draco said, his voice breaking ever so slightly as he stepped out of the embrace.

Harry smiled once more, said good bye to Narcissa and stepped into the floo, calling out his destination. Draco stared at the flames as they dissipated. He felt his mother loop her arm around his waist in an uncharacteristic move. Draco startled, but put one arm around her shoulders, returning the side hug.

"Don't you worry, Harry will be just fine and you'll see him soon. Would you care for some lunch?" she assured him.

"I hope so," was all Draco said as he followed his mother to the sun room. He figured he should try and eat something, even though his insides were twisting and turning anxiously. Harry would be fine and he'd see him in a few days. He repeated that mantra over and over until hopefully it sunk in.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Here is the last chapter for the weekend. I am working on writing the ending right now. Not to worry. It's a lot of chapters away. Thank you for the reviews and the adds. I love them :) Enjoy!**

Harry tumbled out of the floo into a familiar kitchen. He smiled as he looked around. Even though most of the Weasleys were visiting Charlie, the room still had the wonderful scents of all the delicious meals that had been cooked in there. He felt some sadness creeping in as he looked at the table, specifically the chair that Fred most often sat in. He pushed it down, not wanting to think about it right now.

"Harry!" someone cried. Harry turned to see a blur of brown hair running towards him and throwing their arms around him. He sighed as Hermione hugged him tightly. She stepped back slightly and looked up at him. "Oh, Harry, why didn't you tell us?" she demanded as she shook her head, tears sliding down her cheeks, and hugged him tightly again.

"Mione, I'm fine now, that's all that matters," he assured her.

"But you should have told us so we could help you. You shouldn't have let yourself go so long without being with anyone," she scolded.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know, but I thought it wasn't as bad as it actually was. Besides, you and Ron were just figuring things out with each other and Mione, you were just meeting up with your parents again. I didn't want to interfere with that. I'm fine now. Draco helped me deal with it," he assured her, again.

She sighed and stepped back and looked at him. "How is Malfoy?" she asked. Her tone wasn't as mean as Harry expected, but he could sense some jealousy there. Harry tried to fight the grin at the question, but it couldn't be helped. He grinned and Hermione's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "That good, huh?" she asked, her tone teasing.

"Yeah," he replied, his grin widening.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but smiled slightly. "You're going to have to explain that to me," she muttered as she walked over to the stove to start some tea.

"Explain what?" Ron asked as he came into the room. He stopped short at seeing Harry again. Many emotions flicked through his eyes at seeing him: joy, worry, grief, curiosity. He walked over and gave Harry a manly hug and held on a bit longer than was necessary. "Alright, mate?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, mate, thanks," Harry replied just as quietly. He patted Ron on the back and Ron did the same. They separated, clearing their throats uncomfortably.

"Explain how Malfoy and Harry came to be," Hermione said as she turned to set the tea on the table. Harry sat down, blushing. Ron looked uncomfortable, but sat down as well.

"It's a long story," Harry replied, shifting uncomfortably.

"We've got time," she replied, not allowing him to skirt away from the topic.

Harry sighed and glanced at both of them. Ron looked like he didn't really want to know and Hermione looked more eager than was really necessary. He sighed again, sipped his tea, and then ran a hand through his hair before he started.

"It all started back in sixth year, about two months before everything happened with Dumbledore and the Death Eaters. I followed Draco into Myrtle's bathroom and he tried to curse me, of course, because I saw him crying. I managed to get him to talk to me for just a moment and we decided to meet up later on and just talk. I found out what he was tasked with and eventually I went to Dumbledore and told him what Draco had to do. Dumbledore already knew, of course, and told me that everything was handled. He was already dying and he and Snape had worked it out that when the time came for Draco to kill Dumbledore, that Snape would do it. He knew about everything that happened in sixth year. I didn't know about the fact that Dumbledore was dying or what he worked out with Snape until well after, but that explains how he wasn't that concerned about things. Anyway, after that, Snape took off with Draco and I talked to him before he left and I realized, we realized, that we had feelings for each other or something. Anyway, he left and I didn't see him again until we were picked up by snatchers. He didn't torture you, Mione, because of how he felt about me. So after that, I didn't see him again until the Room of Requirement and well, you guys saw what happened there. Then there's after the war and you guys saw what happened there as well. Then I went to his house, after I realized I wasn't dealing with things very well, and we reconnected, eventually and we've officially been together for three weeks now," Harry explained.

Hermione's eyebrows were into her hairline and Ron looked equally surprised and perplexed. "That all makes sense, but how did you guys develop feelings for each other or even talk? We never saw you guys talking," she asked.

Harry blushed. "Well, we did talk in person a few times, but most of our talking was through notes," he replied.

"Notes? You never got any owls from him," Ron pointed out.

Harry blushed further. "We had charmed pockets that we could put notes into and they would go to each other instantly," he replied.

Their eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, I had no idea," Hermione replied.

Harry shrugged. "That was kind of the point. We knew that if anyone knew that we were talking, let alone friends, that it wouldn't turn out well for us. We were very careful. We fell for each other and-" Harry trailed off, shrugging again.

"And what?" Ron asked.

"And nothing. We're together and I feel whole because of him," he said quietly.

Ron nodded, still looking a bit uncomfortable. Hermione spoke next. "Have you considered how you two will be received back at Hogwarts?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is the two of us. Besides, I'm not sure if-" Harry stopped again, frowning.

"Not sure if what?" Hermione asked, looking slightly alarmed.

He sighed and looked out the window. "I'm not sure if I'm going back to Hogwarts," he said quietly.

Hermione gasped and Ron nearly choked on his tea. "Not going back?" he asked in surprise.

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, I mean, it's a miracle that I've avoided all the requests for interviews and the thousands upon thousands of fan mail, thanking me for what I did. Not to mention the hate mail from those who lost family members to this war or from Voldemort sympathizers. Granted, I think Kingsley set up a warehouse for all that stuff to be sent to so maybe I haven't been spared, but regardless, I don't know if I want to deal with that," he replied.

"But Harry, you can't not go back! That's your education. You can't get a decent job unless you complete your education!" Hermione exclaimed. She stood and started pacing.

"What will you have me do? Be bombarded by fans and haters alike while at school? Throw in a relationship with Draco Malfoy and my eighth year is sure to be the most exciting time of my life!" Harry yelled back.

Hermione whirled around and looked at him. "You can't miss out on it though. You have to go, Harry," she implored.

Harry dropped his head onto his folded arms and growled in annoyance. "Mione, please, don't make this harder than it already is. I haven't made a decision on it, but I'm definitely leaning towards not going," he muttered in his arms.

"Does Malfoy know?" she questioned after several moments.

Harry lifted his head, glaring over at her, not liking where she might be taking this. "No, he doesn't know," he said through clenched teeth.

"Don't you think he should have a say in this?" she questioned.

Harry narrowed his gaze further. "What are you doing?" he asks as he leans back and crosses his arms.

She crossed her arms as well and narrowed her gaze at him. "I'm not doing anything, right now. I just think that he should know if you're not going back to Hogwarts. He might have an opinion on the matter since you are with him after all," she pointed out.

He glared at her and she returned the glare. Ron had been quiet the entire time, smartly of course. He watched the stare down between the two with rapt attention. Neither one was budging. "Alright, you two. Mione, if Harry doesn't want to go to Hogwarts, you forcing him will not get him there any faster. Harry, you know that her heart is in the right place, even if she's blackmailing you by throwing Malfoy's opinion into your decision. Hogwarts is still a couple of weeks away. Harry could change his mind by then or come up with another way that he can go, but avoid all the fans or haters," Ron interrupted.

Hermione turned to look at Ron in surprise as did Harry. "What did you say?" she asked quietly.

"Um…." Ron trailed off, prepared to repeat everything he just said.

"How could I go to Hogwarts without anyone knowing?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged. "I don't know. It was just a thought," he replied.

Hermione looked back at Harry, her glare replaced with a thoughtful expression. "I bet if you talked to Professor McGonagall, she could make that happen…." she trailed off, sitting down and sipping her tea thoughtfully.

Harry looked over at Ron gratefully. Ron shrugged, not really sure what he did to help, but was relieved that the tension was gone now.

They spent the day hanging out and catching up. Hermione was busy researching or writing, Harry wasn't sure which, but it didn't matter much to him as she wasn't bugging him about going back to Hogwarts. He and Ron played chess for hours, Ron winning every time. At bed time, Harry retired to his room, putting away his stuff. He lay down and felt his pocket warming. He smiled and reached in, pulling out a note from Draco.

 _I have spent the entire day having no idea what to do with myself. I wandered around the chateau, looking for you, and I kept being reminded that you weren't there. Of course, I'm not saying this to make you feel bad about leaving, just expressing how much I miss you. Has Granger driven you mad yet? How about Weasley? Did you tell them about us? Are you well? I'm rambling, I suppose. Talk soon, I hope._

Harry sighed and read the note a few more times. He reached for a piece of parchment and wrote back. He missed Draco, but he was also glad for the space, to see if he was actually better than he had been. He was pretty sure he was, but being with Draco made things so much easier to cope with. Being away from him would be a good test to see if he could handle it. Harry pondered about telling him that he might not go back to Hogwarts. He wasn't sure if that was something he should say in a note though. He sighed and decided that he would broach the subject with him. Warm him up. He put the return note in his pocket, said the necessary spell, and settled in to bed.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Confession time! I've been thinking about writing on this all week and I am so glad it's Friday so that I can see what's going to happen next. Well, I know what's going to happen, but how it all plays out. Anyway, here's another chapter for you all! You'll probably see two more chapters this weekend. There is a bit of lemony goodness in here, not much, but a little bit. That will be showing up a bit more now that these two are FINALLY together lol. Enjoy! Thanks again for the reviews and adds :)**

Draco stared up at the ceiling above his bed, waiting for Harry to respond to his note. He really had struggled that day to find anything to entertain himself. Before Harry had come to stay with him, it was easy enough to distract himself, but now that he was gone, the same things that he did in the past just weren't cutting it. He wanted Harry to be with him all the time which scared him. He had never felt that way about someone else and he worried that he would smother him and push him away. He pushed those worries away and focused on the now, not the future.

His pocket warmed then and he smiled as he reached in and pulled out Harry's response.

 _I am doing well and I definitely miss you. I'm sorry I'm not there, but just keep in mind that you'll see me in a couple of days, if you want. We could floo call tomorrow…. Hermione and I sort of got into it about something, not you and me though. They both seem to be okay with us so that's good. I played chess most of the day and got beat by Ron every time. It was nice to reconnect with them, but I still wished that you were here too. Why do you want to go back to Hogwarts?_

Draco read the note again and frowned about whatever Harry and Hermione got into a fight about and his question at the end. He wasn't sure why Harry would ask a question like that. He wrote back.

 _Of course I'll want to see you in a couple of days. I'd come home sooner if I could. Floo me tomorrow at one. It may be through flames, but at least I'll get to see you and hear your voice. What did you and Granger fight about? I'm glad it wasn't about us, but it's still surprising that you two would fight so soon. Tell Weasley that I'll play him some time, and then we'll see who's the best at chess. Why do I want to go back to Hogwarts? That's an odd question. I guess I want to go back mostly to finish my education that was disrupted seventh year, but also to just enjoy one more year of childhood. I've been robbed of so much and I know that's nothing compared to you, but I just want to be a kid and not worry about a mad man hanging over us. I want to do all the stuff that I wasn't able to do like a normal kid. I want to pull you into an unused classroom and have my way with you. Steal kisses from you before class in hidden alcoves. Admire you from across the Great Hall, openly. I want to fly with you. I just want to be with you at Hogwarts. Is that crazy?_

 _Oh, Draco, you're making me blush. Can you imagine being open with our relationship? Aren't you afraid of how we'll be received by everyone else? I asked you that question because I'm questioning whether or not I want to go back to Hogwarts. As much as the idea of those stolen moments with you make my stomach flutter and my imagination run wild, I can't ignore that it'll be hard, Draco. As you've said so many times, I'm the Golden Boy, the Savior of the Wizarding World. I will be the center of attention more so than I ever was. Do you honestly want to deal with that? That's what Hermione and I fought about. I've been thinking about this for awhile, but was afraid to voice it aloud. I'm sorry._

 _I don't care what anyone thinks. You and I have worked hard to get where we are and I can't imagine being at Hogwarts without you. There has to be a way for you to go to Hogwarts and avoid all the attention. You need to finish your education. You won't be able to have the kind of career you want, if you don't finish up at Hogwarts. We're in this together and I'm not going to leave you behind. It's too important for you to be there for so many more reasons than your education. Just think about it, okay? There has to be a way to get you there._

 _You sound like Hermione. I'll think about it._

Draco sighed as he read the two sentences in Harry's last note again. He frowned in thought. He couldn't wait to see Harry. He felt like this conversation was one that should be had in person. He grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote to someone he never thought he'd write to, Ron Weasley.

 **XXXX**

Harry woke up to sunlight streaming through his window, blinding him. He hadn't slept well the night before and blamed it on not being with Draco and their conversation. He groaned and cast a spell to close the curtain. The room was bathed in darkness again and he sighed in content and started to fall asleep again. However, not even a minute later and the curtain was open again. He growled and sat up, looking over at the offending curtain, but gasped in surprise. "What are you doing here?" he asked in surprise.

"Good morning, Harry. I found that I didn't like how our conversation went through notes and thought that we should talk in person," Draco drawled from his seat across the room.

Harry sighed and sat up in bed. He was squinting and luckily, Draco took pity on him and closed the curtain. Harry smiled gratefully. "And here I thought you just missed me too much," Harry drawled back.

Draco's expression softened and he got up from his seat and walked over to Harry's bed. He kneeled on the bed and then crawled up to Harry. He hovered above his lips and looked back into surprised green eyes. "That too," he whispered before he kissed him deeply.

He broke the kiss and sat back on his heels. Harry pouted slightly at losing the contact with him and Draco shook his head and smiled. "We're going to talk first, and then I'll take care of that pout," Draco responded.

"Fine, let's talk; what do you want to talk about?" Harry asked as he crossed his arms.

"I want to talk about your indecision about Hogwarts. Harry, I understand where you're coming from, but do you think it'll be that bad?" he asked.

Harry narrowed his gaze. "I couldn't go anywhere first year without being sought by fans and reporters alike and that was ten years after Voldemort disappeared. Now, just three months after he is gone again and for good, it'll be one hundred times worse. Throw in a relationship with a Death Eater's son, and you've got yourself a juicy celebrity story!"

Draco's eyes widened. He hadn't really viewed it as that. It was true, of course. He didn't even think about how people would perceive them being together. "They'd probably think I had you under the imperius curse or something," he said quietly.

"Amongst other things. Look, Draco, everything that you want to do with me at Hogwarts, won't happen easily. People will follow me everywhere. You'll be ridiculed and treated horribly for being with me. I don't want that for you. If I'm not there, you can enjoy Hogwarts like you deserve to. You'll probably still be glared at and sneered at, but not nearly as much as you would if I was there," Harry pointed out.

Draco looked at him in alarm. "What if we kept our relationship a secret?" he asked, sounding almost desperate.

Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "No. I'm not ashamed of you, of us. I'm not going to hide what we have," he said firmly.

"But we were able to keep our friendship a secret for so long. Why not this? At least until things calm down," Draco replied.

Harry shook his head. "I'm not putting my life on hold because people wouldn't be able to handle you and I being together. Besides, we had very different reasons for keeping our friendship a secret then. This is different," he countered.

"I'm not going to Hogwarts without you," Draco stated.

Harry frowned. "Then we're at an impasse," he said quietly.

They sat in silence for several minutes, staring at each other, neither one budging in their opinions. A knock interrupted them.

"Come in!" Harry called, turning to look at the door.

Hermione opened the door and beamed at Harry. "I've got an idea!" she cried. The smile left her face as she looked at the sour looks on Harry's and Draco's faces. She knew why Draco was there and she couldn't help, but appreciate the effort that he put in, especially asking Ron if he could come to the Burrow and see Harry.

"About?" Harry asked.

"How you can go to Hogwarts and avoid all the attention," she said smugly.

Harry's eyes widened and he glanced over at Draco who was looking over at Hermione gratefully. "How?" Draco asked eagerly.

Hermione gave him a surprised look, but smiled. "You'd have to get permission from Professor McGonagall of course, but Harry you could use your invisibility cloak and stay in separate quarters. You'd be able to go to your classes and finish school and no one would know the wiser," she replied excitedly.

Draco's eyes widened a bit more and he looked thoughtful. He looked over at Harry to see what he was thinking. He looked thoughtful as well. "That might work," he said quietly.

"Some more enthusiasm would be nice," she commented, sounding a bit hurt.

He sighed and looked away from her. Draco looked between the two and sighed as well. "Could we have a moment, Granger?" he asked kindly.

She looked over at him in surprise and nodded. She left, shutting the door behind her. "What's the matter?" Draco asked. He slid up closer to Harry and reached out to take his hand.

He looked down at their joined hands and bit his lip. "I just, I don't want to hope that McGonagall will go for it and have her not. If I could go to Hogwarts, and we could be together there without the attention, I'd love that. I'd go for sure. Besides, just think of all the trouble we could get into with me under my invisibility cloak," Harry responded, waggling his eyebrows.

Draco blushed as some images flashed through his mind. He leaned forward and kissed Harry tentatively. Harry returned the kiss, reaching up to grip Draco's shirt to pull him closer. Draco responded and moved to straddle Harry's hips. Harry broke away for a moment to gasp at the closeness. Draco grinned and returned to kissing him, grinding against him. Harry gasped again and pushed Draco away. He looked over at Harry in surprise, but understood as Harry flicked his wand at the door, locking it and slid down into a lying position and lifted the blanket for Draco to join him.

Draco grinned as he settled in next to him under the blankets. He turned to face Harry, lacing their legs together and pressing their bodies against each other. Harry propped himself up on his elbow and kissed Draco deeply. His tongue caressed his lips, asking for entrance. Draco granted his request and wound his arms around Harry's back. He slid one hand up and toyed with the hair at the nape of Harry's neck. His hair was surprisingly soft. Harry left his lips and buried his face in his neck, planting kisses along his jaw and down to his neck. Draco moaned softly as he arched into him, feeling his hardness press against Harry's.

Harry responded and they moved against each other, kissing each other passionately. They had only missed one night, but the way they were responding to one another, you'd think they hadn't seen each other for weeks. Soon they were both panting as they tensed and came. They kissed each other softly before settling into a cuddle. Harry sighed in contentment as Draco wrapped his arms around him and held him close.

"You know, if you have your own quarters we could do this all the time, maybe even sleep together…." Draco suggested.

Harry laughed and nodded against him, kissing his forehead. "That's true, we definitely could," he replied.

"So you'll talk to Professor McGonagall?" Draco whispered.

Harry sighed and leaned forward and kissed him gently. "Yes," he replied.

Draco smiled and returned the kiss. It wasn't long before they were drifting off to sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Here's another chapter! So, I'm not sure how close I am to finishing the story. I thought I was pretty close last night, but then I realized that I wanted to add a bit more so I'm nearly there, but not quite. Anyway, I was rereading through the story and found mistakes, of course that I will need to fix eventually. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you again for the reviews and adds!**

Draco left later that day, after breakfast to go back to the chateau. Their parting was sweet and full of promises. Harry sighed as he watched the flames disappear. Hermione came into the kitchen then and looked over at him in concern.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Harry shrugged. "I don't want to pin my hopes on Professor McGonagall agreeing to this," he said quietly.

Hermione walked over to the floo and picked up some powder. "Why don't we call her?" she suggested.

Harry nodded and watched as Hermione threw in the powder to connect with Professor McGonagall at Hogwarts. The connection was made and Hermione and Harry could see what was clearly the Headmaster's office. "Professor McGonagall?" she called.

She looked around and then they both heard someone moving through the office. Soon, the stern professor was in the flames looking back at them. "Miss Granger, is everything alright?" she asked as way of greeting. She looked wary.

Hermione smiled at her. "Don't look so worried, Professor. Harry and I were just wondering if we could discuss something with you," she said, assuring her that there was nothing wrong.

Professor McGonagall let out a breath and nodded. Harry noticed that she looked much older than he remembered, but he could still see some fire in her eyes. He wondered how much others had aged during the war. He shook his head and knelt down next to Hermione. "I apologize. I'm still adjusting to the fact that I don't need to automatically worry the second someone talks to me. What would you like to discuss?" she asked with a smile.

"Could you come through? I'd hate to have you kneel for all of this," Hermione asked.

Professor McGonagall nodded and Hermione and Harry stepped back as she stepped through. She fixed them both with a stern, but proud look. "This must be serious," she commented as she walked over to the table and took a seat. Harry set about making tea for everyone.

"It's sort of serious, but not in the sense you may be thinking. Um, Harry is considering not going back to Hogwarts," Hermione stated.

Professor McGonagall turned around in her seat and fixed Harry with an extra stern look. Harry blushed deeply and looked away from her. "Mister Potter, why on earth would you choose to not come back to Hogwarts?" she demanded.

He set the tea down and then took a seat across from her. She went about making her tea as she waited for Harry to answer her question. "Well, I don't really want to deal with all the press and attention. It was bad enough the first time. Now it'll be even worse," he explained.

McGonagall frowned. "I understand that, but as Albus did before, and I can do again, we can prevent the majority of the attention that you'll get. We have our ways," she replied.

Harry smiled slightly. "Thank you, but there's more." She lifted an eyebrow in question. Harry blushed deeply and ran his hand through his hair. "Uh, well, I'm also worried about how my new relationship will be perceived and how it will affect the person I'm with," he said quietly.

Her eyebrows shot up and she glanced over at Hermione who was also blushing slightly. She looked back at Harry with a perplexed look. "I thought that Miss Granger and Mister Weasley were a couple…" she asked in confusion.

Harry and Hermione both snapped to attention, looked at each other, blushed deeply, and then started to snicker. Professor McGonagall didn't appreciate it one bit and made that very obvious. They both shut up quickly enough and looked apologetic. "Sorry, Professor, but Hermione and I are most definitely not in a relationship. I was referring to….." he trailed off again looking uncomfortable. He wasn't ashamed of being with Draco, but still found it very difficult to tell her.

"Spit it out, Mister Potter," she directed, losing her patience.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes. "Draco Malfoy," he said in a whisper.

He heard Professor McGonagall gasp. He cracked one eye open to look at her and saw exactly what he imagined. She looked shocked. "You and Mister Malfoy are together?" she asked, the surprise quite evident in her tone.

"Yes," he replied, opening both eyes and putting a bit of an edge in his voice.

"Well, um, how?" she asked, almost speechless.

"Back in sixth year, I approached him about two months before Dumbledore died and we started to talk. We just continued talking and keeping our friendship secret. After the battle, we reconnected again and then I went to stay with him after I had a hard time on my own and he helped me deal with it and then we finally made things official," he explained briefly.

She nodded and then looked thoughtful. After some time and sipping of her tea, she finally prepared to speak. "I can't say that I'm not surprised. Dumbledore had mentioned that you had developed a friendship with Mister Malfoy and that it was of upmost importance to keep it quiet. He didn't need to remind of that, but never mind that. I hadn't realized that it had continued for obvious reasons, but now I understand more as to why you're reluctant to return to Hogwarts. I imagine you have no intention of ending your relationship with him?"

Harry shook his head. "Definitely," he replied.

She nodded. "Well, I'm sure that this isn't the end of our discussion. I'm guessing that Miss Granger and even Mister Malfoy are not in agreement with you about not returning to Hogwarts?" she questioned knowingly.

"Definitely not, Professor," Hermione cut in.

Harry glared over at her. McGonagall laughed quietly. "I imagine that you have something in mind for making it possible for Mister Potter to attend Hogwarts in a way that makes him and you happy?"

Hermione smiled. "Yes," she replied. Professor McGonagall gestured for her to continue. "We were thinking that Harry could use his invisibility cloak and have separate quarters. He would be able to attend classes, but no one would know that he was there. What do you think?"

McGonagall frowned. "It is possible, but separate quarters is not safe no matter how safe it is now. I would be willing to just put say three of you in the same dorm," she replied.

Harry's eyes widened. "Professor, the less people that know I'm there, the better," he pointed out.

"I wasn't suggesting you add more people to those who would know. I assume that Mister Weasley knows of your plan?" Hermione and Harry nodded. "And Mister Malfoy knows?" They nodded again. "Well, despite the change in relationship status between you and Mister Malfoy, I'd be willing to place you and Mister Weasley and Mister Malfoy in one dormitory. There aren't many of you planning to come back and aside from that, eighth years are going to have their own tower anyway. Will that work?"

Harry's eyes widened further at the idea of Draco and Ron sharing a dorm. He grinned. "That would be very interesting," he replied.

"They're adults now. They should be able to handle it. Now, as much as you don't want to be noticed, the Wizarding world will surely notice that you are not at Hogwarts. How are you going to explain your disappearance?" she questioned.

Harry and Hermione both frowned. "We hadn't really thought about that," Hermione said.

"Might I suggest you write to the Minister?" she asked. She stood, suggesting that she was leaving. They both nodded and stood as well. "Good. Well, be looking for your Hogwarts letter and Mister Potter, I will grant your request. Finishing your education is the most important thing you can do right now. However, do not take for granted the freedom that I've given you. You will attend your classes and do your assignments and you will stay out of trouble. Are we understood?" she directed.

"Of course," Harry replied.

She nodded and stepped into the fireplace. "I'll see you soon," she said with a rare smile. She threw down the powder and disappeared within the flames.

Harry and Hermione sat back down and sipped their tea in silence. After several minutes, Hermione spoke. "So are you going to tell him or am I?" she asked.

"Tell who what?" Ron asked as he came into the kitchen.

Harry leapt from his seat and started running through the door that Ron had just come through. Ron watched him run past in confusion and Hermione looked outraged. "Chicken!" she yelled after him.

Harry laughed as he ran all the way up to his room. He grinned as he approached his desk and grabbed a parchment. Telling Draco that he was going to share a dorm with Ron was going to be fun and much easier in notes. He scribbled a note to him and placed it in his pocket. He muttered the spell and then settled in on his bed. He couldn't wait to read his reaction.

 **XXXX**

Draco set his book down when he felt his pocket warm. He pulled out the note and opened it.

 _Which would you rather read, the good news or the bad news first?_

That was it. Draco frowned and scribbled a response back.

X

 _Strange question, but how about the good news first…._

 _X_

 _Hermione and I talked to Professor McGonagall today and explained our idea about me returning to Hogwarts. She agreed, with some stipulations._

 _X_

 _That's great! How can there possibly be anything bad related to this? I can't believe you're going to be there. This is going to be great._

 _X_

 _Your enthusiasm is great, just keep that in mind because there is still bad news. Her stipulations are that I have to attend classes, do my assignments, and stay out of trouble. She also said that I can't have separate quarters for safety reasons._

 _X_

 _Those seem perfectly reasonable. I mean, having your own private quarters would be amazing, but there is safety in numbers even if there isn't a threat anymore. When's the bad news coming in?_

 _X_

 _She said that the eighth years, since there aren't too many returning, are going to have our own tower. She said that she'd be willing to put three of us in a dorm. Myself and you…._

 _X_

 _Is this where the bad news comes in? Sharing a tower and common room will be strange, but I can live with that. What's the bad news? I see nothing bad in the fact that you and I get to sleep in the same dorm. Nothing bad at all. What's the bad news?_

 _X_

 _The bad news is that the third person that's in our dorm is Ron…._

Draco stared at the last note from Harry. His hands shook as every horrible thing he had ever done or said about Weasley and his family came to mind. He knew that just because he was Harry's boyfriend now that it didn't forgive all the stuff he had done in the past. He took a deep breath. It would be fine. Harry would be a good buffer and if he played nice, things might be okay. He hoped anyway.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: It's done... I finished it today. The story has come to it's end. Of course, you still have 27 chapters until we're there so there is plenty more to this story coming to all of you. Thank you again for all the reviews, follows, favorites, and support. I'm getting your reviews for the last chapter, but I'm not able to respond at this point. I will as soon as I can. One reviewer did ask why I didn't just have Harry be under a glamour instead of his invisibility cloak. I think as you read, you'll see why. Mostly, I just didn't want to have Harry be under a glamour and create a new character for him and have it be suspicious that this new kid is there, but not Harry. It would be a different story if I had gone in that direction. Thank you for sharing your opinion though :) Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and the rest of the story as it goes along. Barring any glaring issues, it's completed. Enjoy!**

Harry stood between Ron and Hermione at platform 9 ¾. Harry was under a glamor for the moment his trunk secured next to him and his invisibility cloak tucked away in his pocket. As soon as they got through the barrier, Harry was going to put on his invisibility cloak and slip onto the train without anyone the wiser. He hadn't been able to see Draco since he came by the Burrow. They had floo called and wrote so he was more than ready to see him in person. Unfortunately, Ron hadn't taken the news of sharing a dorm with him very well and was still a bit sore about it. Draco was trying to make the best of it, but was struggling to bite his tongue anytime he talked to Harry about it.

"Are you ready?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, let's go," Harry replied. Hermione and Ron went through first and Harry came in a minute after them as to not draw too much attention to them. As soon as he was through, he slipped behind the column and put his invisibility cloak on. Once he was sure that he was covered head to toe, he came out from behind and stepped in behind Hermione and Ron. He gripped Hermione's shirt as they maneuvered their way through the crowd. People looked over at them and whispered and pointed and smiled. They shouted out greetings, but some looked like they were confused. Probably because he wasn't there.

They managed to get on the train with little trouble and settled into a compartment at the far back. They had barely sat down before someone knocked on their door. Neville was on the other side peering into their compartment. Ron and Hermione looked startled by his presence. "Let him in," Harry whispered, still under his invisibility cloak.

Ron gestured for him to come in. "Hey mate, how's it going?" he said as Neville came in. Luckily, he sat next to the door.

"Hey Ron, Hermione. So it's true then? Harry's not coming back to Hogwarts?" he asked.

They both shook their heads. "No, he's staying away from it all. He's going to take his NEWTs privately. It sucks, but it's what he wants," Hermione replied. She acted well as she sounded very upset about him not being there.

He nodded in understanding. "It's too bad that it will be so hard for him. It's just not going to be the same without him," he replied.

This time, as Harry watched, he could see that his friends truly felt the same way. Even though they knew he was there with them, he wasn't completely there because he wanted to stay in hiding. He frowned in thought, wondering, not for the first time, if he was making a mistake.

"Well, Ginny, Luna, and I have a compartment towards the middle if you guys want to come hang out there. We'll keep people from bugging you," Neville suggested.

Ron and Hermione exchanged looks and nodded. "Sure, we'll probably stop by in a bit. Good to see you, Neville," Ron replied.

Neville nodded and stood. Soon, it was just the three of them again. "You guys should hang out with them. I'm sure Draco will be along in a bit," Harry said after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence.

Hermione and Ron exchanged glances. "Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded, even though they couldn't see. "Of course. Unless you want to be here to see Draco and I reconnect after not being able to see each other for a week," he teased.

Hermione blushed and Ron looked disgusted. "Ugh, please don't ever say that again and you two better mind your manners when I'm in that dorm with you," Ron said as he groaned and covered his face.

Harry and Hermione laughed. "I'll do my best," Harry promised.

Ron groaned again and stood up. Hermione stood as well. "We'll see if we can find Draco on the way. We'll tell him where you are," Hermione offered.

"Thanks, Mione. Have fun," Harry said. They both nodded before they left the compartment. Harry waved his wand at the door and quickly locked it and drew the shades. He removed his glamor and checked himself over to make sure that he was presentable. He felt his cheeks warm as he realized that he was primping for Draco Malfoy. He rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the smile that graced his lips. He couldn't wait to see Draco.

 **XXXX**

Draco stood at the barrier for platform 9 ¾ and stared at it. He wasn't sure of the reaction that he'd get from people as soon as he went through. He was itching to see Harry and had spent hours getting ready that morning making sure that he was perfect. His mother had scolded him multiple times for worrying so much, but he couldn't help it. A week wasn't long, but to him, it seemed like forever. His worries from before about becoming too attached to Harry flared up again. He pushed them away again and took a deep breath. He wasn't too attached. He was just the right amount of attached.

He stepped through the barrier and made his way to where he needed to drop off his trunk. A lot of people stopped to stare at him. Some glared and some just gaped, but he kept his indifferent mask in place and didn't sneer at anyone. He expected this and he didn't want to be the old Draco. He wasn't the old Draco. He may be one of the few Slytherins who were returning, but he wasn't alone.

He set his trunk with the rest and turned when he heard people start to gasp and whisper. He turned and saw Weasley and Granger coming through the barrier. He knew that Harry would be with them and he hid his grin as he turned and got onto the train. He chose a compartment near the back. He didn't expect anyone to join him. Maybe Blaise and Theo or even Pansy, but he doubted it. They hadn't spoken to each other all summer and he wasn't bothered by it at all. That was his old life. He didn't want to be a part of something like that. Of course, those three weren't as much in the throes as he had been, but still.

He sat back and looked out the window. He tried to find Granger and Weasley again, but did not see them. The compartment door slid open and Draco turned to see three younger year students standing there. One, who was obviously the leader, sneered at Draco.

"Looks like we'll need to find another compartment, this one's tainted," he drawled.

Draco stared at him for several moments. His insides churned with anger and annoyance and embarrassment. He had never really been on the receiving end of rude comments such as those. "I'm sure that each compartment is cleaned thoroughly after each trip. As far as I know, I'm the first one in here so it's not tainted at all."

The boy's two companions snickered behind him, but with a scathing look they shut up. He saw himself and Crabbe and Goyle in that moment and it made his stomach turn in both grief and realization. "Shut it, Death Eater scum. You don't belong here. You should be locked up in Azkaban like the rest of them," he snarled.

Draco bit his tongue and felt his wand hand twitch. The leader noticed and took a half step back. Draco stood and realized that he was a bit taller than this boy and used the height difference to his advantage. "I belong just like everyone else, even you. I was cleared of any charges fair and square. Now, I suggest you find yourself a compartment as I believe we are leaving the station soon and you wouldn't want to fall and get hurt," Draco said as kindly and through clenched teeth as he could stand.

"Is that a threat?" the kid demanded, his voice shaking.

Draco frowned. "No, just a safety precaution," he replied and he smiled, well, it was more of an evil smile, but a smile all the same. The boy stepped back and his two goons did as well. He glared once more before they left the compartment quickly. Draco sighed and sat back down and ran his hands through his hair. He really needed Harry right now.

"Malfoy, are you alright?" someone whispered from the door.

Draco lifted his head and turned to see Granger looking at him in concern. He sighed and nodded. "Yeah, just had a welcoming party is all," he replied quietly.

She frowned and stepped in. Weasley stood guard and glanced over his shoulder at Draco with a slightly concerned expression. "Well, there's a better welcoming party in compartment 65, if you'd like," she whispered.

Draco grinned broadly, but let it slip as he didn't want to show too much emotion in the presence of other Hogwarts students who might wonder why he was grinning so much. Granger smiled back and stepped out of the compartment. She and Weasley set off further down the train, towards the middle. Draco stood and headed in the opposite direction. The compartments further back had less and less students and soon he was getting towards the end of the train and hadn't seen another student in at least five compartments. He reached 65 and took a deep breath. He ran his fingers through his hair and straightened his shirt. Harry was on the other side of that door and he couldn't wait to see him.

He slid the door open and peered inside. It was empty, but he knew that Harry was there. He slid the door closed, locked it, silenced it, and made sure the blinds were securely in place. When he turned, he gasped in surprise as he had his arms full of Harry Potter. He wrapped his arms around him and hugged him closely. Harry returned the hug just as tightly. The feelings that had been bombarding Draco that morning slipped away and were replaced with the calmness that Harry brought to him.

"Has it really only been a week?" Harry whispered as he stepped back and looked up at Draco.

He nodded. "It feels like so much longer," he replied. He brought his hands up to Harry's face and cradled it. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Harry's and kissed him deeply. He poured everything that he had been feeling that morning, that week, into the kiss. He gripped Harry's hips tightly and pressed his body against his. Harry responded and pressed back. He wanted to settle him on the bench seats, but knew that it would be uncomfortable and wouldn't be as fulfilling as he would like. He settled for the closeness and drank in Harry. He had missed him so much and that thought scared him deeply.

They broke apart, breathing quickly. They smiled at each other and blushed as they settled in next to each other on the bench. Harry immediately twined their fingers together. "It's a good thing we'll be in the same dorm. A week is far too long to be away from each other," Harry joked.

Draco grinned and squeezed his hand. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to see you this week. At least being at Hogwarts I'll be able to see you all the time, well, sort of anyway," he replied.

Harry's smile faltered just a bit, once again being reminded that he might be making a mistake by being in hiding. He pushed the feeling away and smiled again. "How was it out there when you came through the barrier and got on the train?" he asked.

Draco sighed and shifted uncomfortably. "Well, as I expected, people stared, gaped, and glared at me. It didn't really bother me, but then when I got on the train, these three younger years, maybe sixth years, came to my compartment and told me that it was tainted because I was in there. They told me that I didn't belong here and that I should be in Azkaban," Draco replied.

Harry turned to look at him, his anger building. "How dare they say that?" he demanded.

Draco shrugged. "I don't blame them. It's strange though, I've never been on the receiving end of comments like that. I mean, you would shoot them back, but this was different. It bothered me more than I expected," he explained.

Harry narrowed his gaze. "People are such jerks. I can't believe they would say stuff like that. You were tried in court like everyone else and proven innocent. If they bother you again, I'm going to do something about it," he promised.

Draco grinned, his heart swelling at the fierceness of Harry's tone. He leaned over and kissed him hard, showing his appreciation for his words. Harry returned the kiss eagerly. They broke apart after a moment. "What was that for?" Harry asked, breathless.

"For being so willing to put those goons in their place even though I rightfully deserve their words," he replied.

Harry looked back in anger. "You don't deserve them," he insisted.

Draco nodded. "Did you forget the six years before we became friends?" he asked.

Harry shook his head. "No, but you're different. You've been different the past year and a half."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but I did a lot of jerky stuff before then. I was a bully. I am a Death Eater. Well, mostly anyway," he replied quietly. Harry reached out and placed his hand over Draco's covered forearm. The dark mark was underneath and had been fading since Voldemort died. It didn't bother Harry at all, surprisingly. He reached up and touched his heart.

"You may be a Death Eater, but that doesn't define you in here. You're a good person and you've changed so much. I wouldn't have given you the time of day otherwise," Harry assured him.

Draco felt his heart beat faster at his words and felt the stirrings of feelings that he wasn't expecting so soon. He ignored them and decided to feign nonchalance. "Just admit it, Potter, my charm and good looks finally wore you down," he replied with a wink.

Harry rolled his eyes, but laughed. "Yeah, sure, okay." He leaned over and kissed him quickly on the lips. They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Harry slipped under his invisibility cloak and once he was completely covered, Draco lifted the shades and saw the trolley witch on the other side. He stood and unlocked the compartment.

"Something from the trolley, dear?" she asked. Draco glanced down at all the delicious sweets. He loved this part of the trip to Hogwarts.

"Two of everything, please," he replied, taking out some galleons.

The trolley witch looked at him in surprise and glanced behind him. Draco cleared his throat. "This is my favorite part. I'd like to save the seconds for when I get to Hogwarts," he replied smoothly.

The trolley witch smiled broadly and nodded. "Of course," she said as she gave him two of everything. "Have a wonderful trip, dear," she said as she started down the aisle, away from Draco and Harry's compartment. Draco watched her leave and then shut, locked, silenced, and shaded their compartment again.

"Hungry?" Harry asked in a teasing tone.

Draco laughed and then turned to glare at him. "You don't have to have the ones that I got for you. I could easily save them for myself for later," he warned.

Harry looked up at him with wide eyes, trying his best to look innocent and angelic. Draco lifted an eyebrow at the look. "You wouldn't want to do that to your amazing boyfriend, now would you?" he replied sweetly.

He moved over to him and leaned down to capture his lips in a kiss. It was passionate and full of promise. "I would never," he whispered against his lips before kissing him again. He moved away, smiling at the coloring on Harry's cheeks. He settled in across from him and divvied up the sweets. Harry watched him, feeling his heart swell and feelings flutter around that he wasn't expecting just yet. His eyes widened as he wondered if it were possible, so soon. He shook his head and pushed them away. It was too soon.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: What's this? A mid-week update? Yes, yes it is :). This is a short little chapter. I was finally able to respond to reviews so yay! Enjoy this chapter. Thanks again for the reviews and follows and favorites :).**

The rest of their trip was non-eventful. Hermione and Ron had come back down at one point to check in with them. Draco had been cordial and polite to him and Ron had done his best to behave in the same manner. Once they started pulling into Hogsmeade though, Ron and Hermione left and went back to Neville's compartment.

Harry and Draco stood up as the train came to a stop. Harry replaced his invisibility cloak and kissed Draco once more before becoming fully covered. "I'll follow you out," he replied as he stood in behind him, gripping his shirt. Harry glanced down at Draco's arse and grinned. "I like the view," he whispered right before Draco opened the door. Draco gasped in surprise at his comment, but could give no other reaction as students were leaving their compartments.

Harry held tightly as things became close. He had cast a shielding bubble behind Draco to avoid anyone from running into Harry and discovering him. They made their way through the station and to the waiting carriages. Harry stepped next to the thestral that was on one of the last carriages that Draco was getting on. He pet the horse-like creature and smiled up at it. Draco stood on the other side and stared at the creature in surprise. He looked around quickly before speaking quietly.

"This is the first time I've seen these outside of books," he whispered. He nervously reached out and pet the animal. It nudged into his hand and Draco couldn't help, but smile.

"Aren't they amazing?" Harry whispered back.

Draco nodded and after one more pet, he climbed up into the carriage. He felt Harry sit down next to him. The carriages started to move and as that happened, Draco reached over, feeling the cloth of Harry's cloak and slipped his hand underneath to grip Harry's. It was darker so it was easier to get away with it. They said nothing as they rode up to the castle. They could feel the nervous energy emanating from one another and they sought solace from one another.

As they approached the castle, Harry broke the silence. "I want to see the sorting. Do you think we can make that work?" He had cast a silencing spell.

"Yeah, if I sit near the end, you could probably sit next to me. I'm not sure how you'll be able to eat though," he replied.

"I can always get something from the kitchen afterwards. It'll be strange sitting next to you instead of across the Great Hall," he mused.

Draco laughed quietly. "I think I'll quite like it," he replied as he squeezed Harry's hand. Harry laughed in return and squeezed back.

They arrived at the castle a few minutes later and once out of the carriage and after saying good bye to the thestral, they cast the necessary spells and made their way up to the castle. Hermione and Ron stepped in next to them.

"Everything alright?" Hermione asked.

"Everything's great," Draco replied as he smiled kindly at her. She looked back in surprise, still not used to seeing the softer side of Draco. A few people noticed their exchange and gave them wondering looks.

"Malfoy, I'm surprised to see you here," Neville stated as he came up next to Ron. His comment did not come across as mean.

Draco glanced over at him. "It's a condition of my probation. I didn't have much choice otherwise," he replied calmly.

Neville's eyes widened, probably because he expected a sharp retort from him. "Right, of course. I might have heard something about that," he replied.

Draco nodded. "Yes, well, I don't mind, really. Getting an education is important. I have a lot to make up for," he replied quietly, looking away.

Neville glanced at Ron and Hermione in surprise. They both shrugged. They knew that there was plenty of meaning in those words. More than what anyone outside of the three of them knew. "Well, in that case, good luck to you then," Neville said as he held out his hand towards Draco. Everyone that was nearby stopped to watch the exchange. Draco glanced down at Neville's hand in surprise. He didn't hesitate a moment longer before he reached out and shook his hand.

"Thank you, Longbottom," he replied, the surprise evident in his tone. Neville smiled and they let go after a moment. Draco glanced past Neville and saw the sixth years glaring at him. He wanted to sneer so badly, but he looked away. He wouldn't give in to their ridicule.

The group continued walking as a new buzz of conversation filtered through the returning students. Everyone was talking about the exchange with Neville and the obvious somewhat comfortableness of Hermione and Ron with Draco.

The small group arrived at the Great Hall and noticed that instead of four tables, there were now five. The usual four house tables were filled with the proper house of students which left the guess that the fifth table was for the eighth years. Draco walked over and sat down near the end. Ron and Hermione sat nearby, but knew that the space that he had left at the very end was filled by Harry.

Draco cast a charm around them that appeared to make Draco look as if he wasn't talking or doing much else, but listen to the sorting, but in fact he was able to talk to Harry. He had stretched it out further to include Ron and Hermione. He silenced the area around them.

"Neville seemed to take your presence here quite calmly," Harry commented. He had been watching Draco cast the spells and knew that he was finished and it was safe to talk. Hermione whipped around in shock at hearing his voice. She looked over at Draco with a startled expression. Ron looked concerned as well.

"I cast a protection spell," Draco replied.

Hermione sighed and looked apologetic. "Sorry, I should have known that Harry wouldn't be that stupid to talk in front of everyone."

Draco shrugged. "Not a big deal. But yes, he did seem to be accepting enough. I hope I handled it properly," Draco replied as he worried his lip.

He couldn't see Harry, but guessing by the way he caressed his thigh in assurance, he was smiling at him. "You did. He seemed quite surprised by your actions," Harry teased. Draco blushed.

"I'm impressed, Malfoy. You seem to be adjusting well enough to being here," Ron commented.

Harry felt Draco tense beneath his hand and he caressed him again in a soothing manner. "I'm going to hope that your comment is merely just a comment and not an underlying jab at me," Draco replied as calmly as he could.

Ron colored and looked away. Hermione looked up at him with a glare. They returned their attention up to the front and Draco retracted the bubble to include just him and Harry. After a moment, Harry cleared his throat. "I think I may have seen those sixth years glaring at you," he commented.

Draco shifted. "Yes, they did. It doesn't matter. I'm sure I won't have to see them often," he commented.

"Interesting," he commented.

"What?" Draco asked as he turned to look back where Harry was sitting.

"They're in Ravenclaw," he replied. Draco looked up and saw the three over at the Ravenclaw table. They weren't looking at him, but he looked away quickly as to not catch their attention.

"Smart goons, just what I need to deal with," he replied as he looked away.

"I'll take care of them for you," Harry replied.

Draco snorted and then blushed. He heard Harry gasp and knew that his response wasn't appropriate. He cancelled the spell around him because he knew he didn't want to have that conversation with him right then. He didn't want to admit to what caused him to have that response. He wasn't sure what Harry would be able to do considering he was not supposed to be there in the first place. He sighed when he felt Harry's hand slip from his thigh. He regretted his initial reaction even more.

The sorting passed by and then dinner was served. Draco reached over and felt that the spot that Harry had been in was now empty. He looked up in alarm for just a moment before he pushed it away and went back to eating. Hermione didn't miss the look of alarm. She gave him a questioning look, but he only shook his head in response. He had screwed up and they had barely arrived at Hogwarts.

 **XXXX**

Harry felt awful. He knew exactly why Draco snorted. It bothered him to know that Draco didn't have too much confidence in what he could do in the position he was in. It didn't matter that Draco was a bully in the past. No one could treat him that way if Harry had anything to do with it.

He left the table and made his way carefully over to the Ravenclaw table. He crouched next to the three goons and cast the necessary charms around himself. He hoped that he might be able to hear if they were planning to bother Draco more.

"Why are you being so hard on Malfoy?" one of them asked.

"He doesn't deserve my kindness," he responded in annoyance like this wasn't the first time he'd been asked that question.

"Yeah, but if Granger and Weasley and even Longbottom seem to accept him, why not leave him alone?" he asked again.

The leader whipped around and glared at him. "I already answered your question. Be friends with him if you want, but I'm not going to be nice to him. He doesn't deserve it," he responded in a biting tone.

His friend withered under his glare and slinked away, saying nothing more. Harry narrowed his gaze at the boy and made a mental note to stop this hateful behavior before it gets worse. He moved away from their table and headed back to where Draco was. He wasn't eating and he knew that if he didn't return and show him that he didn't take his response personally, he wouldn't eat the dinner that he was moving around on his plate.

Harry sat down next to him and reached over to touch his leg again. Draco jumped and nearly turned to say something. He calmed down quickly enough and glanced around to see if anyone noticed. No one did, except Ron and Hermione. He cast the spell from earlier quickly and then spoke.

"Harry, I'm sorry about-" he began.

"Stop. We'll talk about it later. Eat your dinner," Harry cut him off. His tone was teasing though and he could feel Draco relax under his touch. He went back to eating and finished most of what was on his plate.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Here is another chapter! I hope you all enjoy. Thanks again for the reviews and follows and favorites. Also, I'm working on a one shot that was inspired by something in this story, but totally unrelated to this story aside from it being another Drarry. Anyway, I'll be working on that this weekend. I'm not sure when it will be posted, but it will be waiting in the wings. Enjoy!**

After dessert, McGonagall dismissed the students to their dorms and she walked over to the eighth years' table and explained that she would lead them to their tower. She came down to the end that Ron, Hermione, Draco, and Harry were on as the others at the table stood and started heading for the doors.

"Everything alright?" she asked.

"Yes, Professor," Hermione stated as they all stood.

She nodded. "Mister Malfoy, after you've settled in, could I see you and uh-" she stopped as she tried to find a way to say Harry, but not reveal that he was there.

"Yes, of course," he replied, understanding what she was asking for. She nodded again and turned to briskly walk through the doors to the waiting eighth years. The four of them joined them and everyone headed off into another part of the castle, away from a majority of the student body.

"The tower you will all be staying in hasn't been used in many years. It once housed married students. The castle elves have cleaned it up very nicely and I think that you will all find that it is to your liking. The dorm rooms are in twos or threes depending. There are a lot of rooms as it was once common to get married very young. I will be your head of house should you need anything. The password is phoenix," she said as they approached the entrance to the tower. The portrait that hung over the entrance was of a lighthouse with a young couple standing along the shore, obviously very much in love. Harry felt the blush creep on his cheeks as he replaced the couple with him and Draco.

They followed McGonagall into the tower and stopped in the common room and looked around in surprise. It was tastefully done up in at least one color from each house: blues and greens, dark red and burnt orange. It worked well together. There were plenty of couches and nooks with chairs and small bookcases. There were tables with chess sets or extra quills and parchment. The fireplace was huge and inviting.

"Wow, this is really nice," Hermione commented as she looked around.

There were nods and murmurs of agreement. McGonagall smiled tightly, but her eyes were bright showing that she was pleased by their reactions. "Thank you. Now, the boys' dorm is to the left, girls' to the right. Your name plates are on the door. Each dorm room has your beds, a loo, a small sitting area, and a fireplace. There are also desks for each student. You are all eighth years and adults now, but you are still under my roof and I expect you all to respect the rules of Hogwarts. You will have a bit later of a curfew so don't take it for granted because I will adjust it to first year level if necessary. Classes start bright and early in the morning. And on another note," she hesitated as she looked at each and every one of them, "I'm so glad that many of you decided to come back. I know that was hard for all of you. It is important that you all feel safe and comfortable at Hogwarts. If at any point, you don't feel that way, please tell me. You have all been given the unique opportunity to experience true interhouse unity. Show the younger students how successful it can be. We need that now as our world gets back on its feet. Have a good night everyone," McGonagall explained. She gave them each a significant look and smiled slightly at them before she left the common room.

Everyone stood there for a few moments taking the room in and the words that McGonagall said. They each looked at each other, regarding one another. The four Slytherins that had returned stood near each other, Draco included. He looked back at the other houses with an indifferent mask in place. The other Slytherins looked at everyone in a similar manner.

"Well, like McGonagall said, we have the opportunity to experience interhouse unity. We should consider this an opportunity to experience what life will be like outside of Hogwarts. We won't be separated into houses in the real world. We'll work with people that we have previously not given the time of day. We were all in the throes of battle no matter what side. I, for one, am ready to move past that and work towards getting to know everyone in the houses even those I previously was afraid of," Neville said, breaking the silence. Everyone stared at him with astonished expressions. Neville's courage had grown a lot.

"Well said, Longbottom," Draco said quietly. Neville smiled slightly and nodded to Draco in thanks.

Harry watched everything with rapt attention. The tension in the room was less now that Neville had spoken. He saw the Slytherins relax at his words and many of the other housemates did the same. He was impressed and almost wished that he could have been there to witness it in the open. He shook his head. No, this was good. People, that were not him, needed to shine. Harry had his time. Now it was time for others to shine. He felt good, at this moment anyway, for choosing to stay in hiding.

"Shall we settle in?" Hermione suggested. Everyone nodded and started heading in the direction of their dorms. As they went along, looking at the name plates, they found that they were mixed up by houses. Ron, Draco, and Harry's room was the last one.

"Should we look overly surprised that were sharing?" Ron whispered to Draco.

Draco chuckled quietly. "Eh, let's make them wonder why we aren't freaking out," he replied quietly.

Ron nodded and laughed quietly. "Aw, my best friend and my boyfriend are laughing together," Harry's whisper cut in.

Ron and Draco jumped at the sound of his voice. He had, at some point, gotten ahead of them and was standing next to the door. Ron and Draco glanced back, but the hallway was clear. They both narrowed their gaze at Harry and he tried not to laugh at their identical expressions. Ron opened the door and walked in. Harry followed and then Draco. Once the door was closed and secured, Harry took off his invisibility cloak and grinned at Draco and Ron.

"What were you thinking out there?" Draco demanded.

Harry rolled his eyes as he took a seat on the bed that was in the middle. His trunk was next to it. "I put a silence bubble around us," he replied.

Draco narrowed his gaze at him and then sighed. "Harry, you need to be more careful. Someone will discover that you're here otherwise," Draco said in a worried tone.

Harry frowned. "Alright, I'm sorry," he apologized.

Draco frowned and nodded before he turned and started sifting through his trunk. Harry glanced over at Ron who was studying Draco in confusion. He glanced over at Harry and smiled slightly before he started going through his trunk as well. Harry shook his head and followed in his dorm mates' footsteps and started looking through his trunk. He put his clothes into the shared wardrobe that Ron had. He glanced over at Draco who was watching him.

"What?" Harry asked in confusion.

Draco shrugged. "Why don't you want to share mine?"

Harry's eyebrows lifted. His cheeks colored slightly as he glanced over at Ron who was blushing and trying not to listen to their conversation. Harry cleared his throat. "I figured you'd need more room. I know that you like to have a lot of options for your clothes. I didn't want to take up your extra space. Besides, my clothes will blend in better with Ron's than yours" he explained, giving a small laugh towards the end.

Draco nodded and went to putting his stuff away. Harry could tell that Draco was still bothered by it. He sighed and walked across the room to him. He reached out and touched his arm. Draco sighed and dropped his head. "I'm being ridiculous," he whispered.

Harry stepped closer to him, stepping in front of him. He looked up at him. He reached out to grip his hip. "I get it. This is new to me though, you know? Besides, isn't sharing a wardrobe a big step?" he asked, his tone teasing.

Draco's head shot up and his eyes went wide. "Yeah, I, uh, get what you mean," he said in response. He laughed and shook his head before he leaned forward and kissed Harry carefully. He was still bothered that Harry didn't want to share his wardrobe, but he could see his side of things. It was another moment that he realized that he was thinking about the future and the only person he could see in it, was Harry. They broke apart and returned to unpacking their trunks. Ron was still blushing and looked more uncomfortable.

After awhile, their trunks were unpacked and Harry and Draco were readying to head to McGonagall's office. Draco walked out on his own and Harry followed closely behind him. They walked in silence up to McGonagall's office. When they arrived, Harry followed Draco into the spiraling stair case. He felt anxious as he remembered the many times that he had gone up there when Dumbledore had been Headmaster. As a matter of fact, he hadn't been in there since Dumbledore.

"I wonder what she wants to talk to us about," Draco mused aloud. The door had slid shut and they had a brief moment of time to themselves. Harry didn't remove his cloak.

"Probably just reiterating her expectations of us sharing a dorm since we're a couple. Reminding me that I need to go to my classes and do my classwork. You know, stuff like that," Harry replied.

They arrived at the door that led to McGonagall's office. It opened upon arrival and Draco and Harry walked into her office. She was sitting at her desk looking over some parchments. She looked up and gave Draco a tight smile since he was the only one that she could see.

"Mister Potter, you can remove your cloak. Have a seat boys," she said, gesturing to the chairs that sat in front of her desk. They did as they were told and waited patiently for her to finish whatever she was working on. Harry twitched nervously and Draco was stiffer than usual.

Finally, McGonagall pushed the parchments aside and looked at them. "Well, it's late so I won't keep you long. Harry," she held out a paper to him and he took it carefully. "Your schedule. All of your work will be graded and will be returned to you via a castle elf. Since you can't be seen, I'm going to have to trust that you will attend your classes?" she said in a questioning tone.

"Yes, Professor, I'll go to my classes," he replied.

"Good. Now, your schedule is not entirely the same as Mister Malfoy's as he does have some advanced classes that you didn't have interest in before this year. However, most of your schedule, as well as Mister Weasley's and Miss Granger's, are the same. You know the necessary spells to keep yourself hidden and out of sight, yes?" she paused and waited for Harry to nod; he did. "Very well, then. Now, Mister Malfoy, how have the perceptions of the other students towards you and your fellow Slytherins seemed to be?" she had a knowing look which implied she knew the answer already.

Draco glanced over at Harry who was giving him an encouraging look so that he'd tell her about the three younger years from the train. "It's as expected, Professor. Most seem to be fine with us or at least tolerable. It seems that a few disagree on us being here, but that's to be expected," he replied diplomatically.

She frowned and looked over at Harry who, as usual, could not hide his annoyance at Draco's response. "Mister Potter, is there more than what Mister Malfoy is telling me?" she asked.

Harry stared at Draco a bit longer. Draco wasn't looking at him, but it was obvious to Harry that he didn't want him to tell McGonagall about the three Ravenclaws. He shook his head and turned back to her. "No, nothing at all, Professor," he replied quietly. Her frown intensified, but she didn't pursue it.

"Well, if things should change, be sure to let me know," she replied.

They both nodded. "Is there anything else, Professor?" Draco asked, suddenly feeling very tired.

She shook her head. "No, I think that is all for now. Oh, wait, yes, the desk that belongs to Harry will serve his breakfast, lunch, and dinner. One tap on the apple and your meal will appear as if you were in the Great Hall," she explained.

Harry nodded. "So I'll be eating alone then?" He didn't really like that idea, but it was expected considering his situation.

She studied him for a moment, his dislike obvious. "Three times a week it will allow for your dorm mates to join you," she replied. Harry looked up and grinned. She smiled slightly at him. "Now, good night, Harry and Draco. I hope that this year will go well for the both of you, and Harry, if you should ever choose to come out of hiding, do not hesitate to discuss it with me." She smiled at each of them. They smiled back in surprise since she rarely used their first names. They stood and walked towards the spiraling stair case. "Oh, wait, uh, Mister Malfoy, I have your requirements of your probation here. You do understand what is expected of you?" she asked in concern. Harry looked over at Draco in confusion. He hadn't heard that there were certain expectations for his probation.

Draco glanced at Harry nervously and nodded. "Yes, Professor, I'm aware and fully intend to meet the expectations," he responded calmly. She nodded and waved them away. Harry put his invisibility cloak on and traveled down the stair case. He wanted to know what was expected of him and what could happen should he not follow his probationary rules. Draco was looking down thoughtfully and Harry wondered what he was thinking.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Here's another chapter! We've got some smut in this chapter right off the bat practically :). I have been working on the one-shot I mentioned. It is nearly finished and I'm liking it a lot! Enjoy this chapter!**

"Why didn't you tell her about the Ravenclaw triplets?" he asked about halfway down.

Draco sighed. "I didn't want to bring up an issue that only happened twice. I'm sure they'll get sick of it and find a new target," he replied.

"The main guy has it in for you," Harry argued.

"How do you know?" Draco asked as he turned to look at where he knew Harry was.

"Well, you know when I left your side during dinner?" Draco nodded. "I walked over to the Ravenclaw table and listened in on their conversation. One of his friends told him that they didn't understand his anger towards you and that if Neville could be nice to you, why couldn't they? The main guy was quite adamant that you didn't deserve anyone's kindness," Harry explained.

Draco shrugged. "It's not a big deal, okay? I can handle myself." The spiraling staircase stopped and Draco walked out of the entrance and started heading towards their tower. Harry followed behind him. He glanced around, looking for an unoccupied room to try and talk some sense into Draco. He found one and reached out and pulled Draco into the classroom. He closed the door, locked, and silenced it. He whipped off his cloak and turned on Draco who had his back to Harry. His posture was tense.

"I'm sure you can handle it, but you said so yourself that you haven't been on the receiving end of it and that it's strange. You need to tell McGonagall," he insisted.

Draco whirled around and looked at him. "It doesn't matter, Harry, okay? I was a bully and it won't stop no matter who knows. I can't stop the guy. All I can do is avoid him as much as possible and not engage," he argued.

"What are the rules of your probation?" Harry asked, starting to put the pieces together on his reaction to the bullies.

Draco sighed and walked over to a table. He sat atop it and put his face in his hands. He didn't want Harry to know. He didn't want him to worry that at any misstep, Draco would end up in Azkaban. He hadn't anticipated the three Ravenclaws though. He anticipated the sneers and lack of tolerance, but not being a target. "I have to be on my absolute best behavior. Any misstep, any, and I'm going to Azkaban," he said quietly.

"What?" Harry asked quietly as he moved towards Draco.

Draco looked up with tortured eyes. "You don't think I didn't want to put those guys in their place? Remind them of who I was? I may be much different than I was before, but I can still be a threat if needed. I'm a Death Eater, Harry. I badly wanted to curse those three, remind them of what I can do," Harry's eyes widened and Draco gave him a sardonic look. "Stop. I don't mean an unforgiveable, just a stinging hex or something like that. I could never do an unforgiveable anyway," he assured him.

Harry relaxed slightly. "Even if you're defending yourself, they can still cart you off to Azkaban?"

Draco nodded. "Yeah. I'm on thin ice. I am on my own to deal with them," he replied.

Harry frowned and stepped closer. "You're not on your own," he whispered as he stepped between his knees, placing his hands on either side of Draco's hips.

"You're invisible, Harry, what can you do?" he asked in a tired voice.

Harry frowned slightly. "That's exactly right. I'm invisible. I can easily threaten them and warn them that should they bother you, they will find themselves regretting it," he promised.

Draco chuckled and shook his head. "I'm not sure how you'd do that, but okay," he said in a disbelieving voice.

Harry lifted his eyebrows and ignored the sting of his words. "Draco, I'm not going to let something happen to you and I know that neither Ron or Hermione would either. They know how important you are to me. I can protect you, visible or not. Besides, I did manage to sneak up on Voldemort with my cloak so some measly sixth years would be a piece of cake."

Draco nodded in agreement. He did manage to sneak up on Voldemort and Harry could be very threatening visible or not. He sighed. "Fine, but only if it's absolutely necessary. Maybe they'll leave me alone and it won't be necessary," Draco replied.

Harry nodded and gripped Draco's hips, pulling him closer to the edge of the table so that he could press against him. He looked up at Draco who was staring back at him with intense gray eyes. He leaned forward and kissed him. Draco responded easily and wrapped his arms around Harry, deepening the kiss. Harry slid his tongue out, asking for entrance. Draco responded easily and their kiss became heated. Harry's hands slipped under Draco's shirt and he slid across his back sending chills down Draco's spine. Draco moaned quietly as his length hardened and he pressed into Harry more, showing him just how much he enjoyed his touch.

Harry broke the kiss and stepped back. Draco whined at the loss, but soon his eyes darkened in anticipation as Harry started undoing Draco's buckle. Draco slid off the table to give Harry easier access and it wasn't long before Harry had his pants undone and had freed Draco's hard length. Harry gazed at it with curiosity and wonder. This was the first time he had seen Draco's cock and he couldn't help, but be amazed at the sight. He went down to his knees and looked up at Draco with a questioning look. Draco nodded and nearly buckled from overloaded senses when Harry took him into his mouth for the first time. He brought his fist up to his mouth and bit down on it, preventing himself from crying out. The door was silenced, but he didn't want to take any chances.

Harry slid up and down his cock, his tongue pushing along the underside with differing pressures. Draco found that when Harry spent some time on his head that he very much liked how it felt. He liked it even more when he took him all in and sucked all the way up. The passion and focus that Harry was giving to him was so much like how he was in other areas. Draco appreciated that he was the only one who would be allowed to enjoy such amazement in this way.

Draco threaded his fingers through Harry's hair guiding him up and down his shaft. He could feel his orgasm building and knew that it would only be a matter of time before he was coming. Harry must have felt it too because he brought one hand up to follow his mouth up and down Draco's shaft and another hand to gently caress his sac. Draco cried out, his body overloading, and came without much warning than that. Harry spluttered at first, but kept going until Draco started to giggle from feeling tickled.

Harry slid off and looked up at Draco who was panting and had his head tipped back with his eyes closed. Draco felt nearly boneless and had never experienced such greatness as that. Harry stood and kissed his neck and Draco sighed and tipped his head forward, capturing Harry's lips in a bruising kiss. That day had been a mess of emotions and Harry carefully helped relieve much of the tension of the day. Draco felt his heart get a bit fuller and his mind a bit more turbulent with his intensifying feelings for Harry.

"That was brilliant," he whispered against Harry's lips.

Harry broke away and grinned at him. "You're welcome," he said.

Draco smiled and fastened his trousers again. He kissed Harry once more and pulled him against him in a hug. Harry let out a surprised noise, but didn't comment on Draco's sudden need for closeness. "Let's go to bed," he whispered.

Harry nodded, put his cloak back on, and followed Draco out of the room and up to the tower.

 **XXXX**

The next morning dawned bright and early. Harry woke before Ron and Draco. He settled at his desk, tapped the apple, and was given his breakfast. He had his choice of foods, just like Professor McGonagall told him would happen. He tucked in, looking out the window at the lightening sky. The view from their dorm was over the country side and it was very green and beautiful.

A half hour later, he heard Draco beginning to stir. He turned to look at him and his heart swelled at the sight. Draco's hair was sticking up in all directions and as he stretched and rubbed at his eyes, Harry could see his muscles work. He didn't realize that watching him wake up would be so arousing. Of course, mostly anything that Draco did made him feel that way. It must be love…. wait, no, just attraction. He blushed and turned away. Too much. Way too much.

Draco padded over to where Harry was sitting and leaned forward and kissed the top of his head. "Oh, good, they'll have sticky buns for breakfast today," he reached out and swiped one from the pile that was on Harry's offering plates. Harry looked up at him and smirked. That feeling hit him again and he realized that it wasn't just arousal, but something more. It scared him in a good way, but he knew it was far too soon.

Harry stood and cupped Draco's face in his hands. Draco stared back in surprise and anticipation as Harry leaned up and kissed him deeply. Draco tasted of sticky bun and Harry took it in. He loved seeing him like this in the morning. He loved…. He stopped his thought process and broke away from him. He grinned at him and sat back down.

"What was that for?" Draco asked in a breathless tone.

"Nothing, just wanted to say good morning," he replied. Draco looked at him in confusion. He knew there was more meaning behind that kiss.

"It was more than just a good morning kiss," Draco insisted.

Harry smiled and shook his head. "Not yet," was all he said before he turned and finished eating his breakfast.

Draco was about to respond, but a loud snort and some muttering interrupted him as Ron started to wake. He sighed and went over to the adjoining loo to get ready for the morning.

"When did you get in last night?" Ron asked as he rubbed roughly at his face. He snapped his head up and sniffed the air and immediately looked more awake as he went over to Harry's table. "Oh, sticky buns," he said as he snagged one. He shoved the whole thing in his mouth while Harry smirked at him. "What?" he said with his mouth full.

"Nothing, just an observation," Harry commented. He moved his plate away and tapped the apple. His breakfast disappeared.

Ron shrugged and went about gathering up some clothes and his book bag. "Where's Malfoy?" he asked.

"Getting ready for breakfast," Draco said as he came out of the bathroom with steam wafting behind him. Harry looked over at him and felt gut punched as he looked at him standing there with a towel wrapped around his waist and a few droplets of water sliding down his chest. He was toweling his hair and didn't notice Harry's obvious reaction. Ron on the other hand did notice and he groaned and muttered something about being disgusted before he stormed past Draco and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Draco looked towards the bathroom in confusion and then turned back to look at Harry to see what the problem was. It was quite obvious the second he looked at him. He smirked. "Your mouth is hanging open," he teased as he walked over to his wardrobe and started sifting through it, looking for something to wear.

Harry shook his head and closed his mouth. "Merlin, Draco, you can't just come out of the loo like that," Harry said in a strained voice. He pushed down on his half hard cock and tried very hard not to keep staring at Draco.

Draco gave a throaty chuckle which did nothing to help Harry's problem. "Well, if you hadn't have kissed me the way you did this morning, I might have remembered to grab my clothes," he pointed out.

Harry blushed and looked away. "Yes, well, maybe you shouldn't look so adorable when you wake up in the morning and allow sticky bun to be on your lips," Harry countered petulantly.

Draco laughed even more and shook his head. Their banter was warming him greatly and those simmering feelings were bubbling more ferociously now. He pushed them down like he always did. It was too soon. "Well, I'll do my best not to be adorable and I can't do much about the sticky buns. It's just the way it is when eating one," he replied.

Harry stood and walked over to him. "There's not a thing you could do that would not make you look adorable in the morning," he whispered as he stepped closer to him, aligning his body with his and pressing against him gently. Draco's eyes were wide as Harry leaned forward and kissed him again. He pressed against him, showing him exactly how he made him feel. Draco groaned quietly and kissed him back harder, wrapping his arms around him and pushing against him to increase the pressure.

"Geez! Come on guys! This is ridiculous. I can't see this every flipping morning. McGonagall is out of her mind…." Ron cried, trailing off at the end as he came out of the loo. He continued to mutter incoherently as he dressed and slammed stuff around. Harry and Draco had broken apart and were watching him with amusement.

"We apologize, Weasley," Draco said.

Ron looked up at him and looked between the two of them. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Yeah, okay, whatever," he replied, but he smiled slightly which showed that he was willing enough to accept their apology.

Harry reluctantly stepped away from Draco and went into the loo to finish getting ready for the day. When he was finished, Draco was standing near his wardrobe, situating his robes and his bag. He watched Harry as he dressed similarly to Ron and himself. Harry looked up and smiled at him. Draco smiled back. They could get used to this.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Here's the last chapter for the weekend. I just might post one mid-week, but we'll see. This chapter has some realizations setting in and some banter between Ron and Draco. Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows :). Enjoy!**

"I'll follow you guys out," he said as he grabbed his invisibility cloak and put it on. Ron and Draco nodded and headed towards the door. They opened it and stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Neville and Seamus on the other side of the door.

"Bloody hell, Neville, what are you doing?" Ron demanded, shifting slightly so that he was standing closer to Draco, blocking where Harry was.

"We came to get you guys for breakfast," Seamus replied.

"And to make sure you didn't kill each other during the night," Neville joked.

Ron glanced over at Draco who looked near panic. "That would be this morning that we nearly killed each other," Ron replied with a laugh.

Draco glared over at him and rolled his eyes. His stomach did a flip flop at his comment. "I'll remember my clothes next time," Draco replied with a smirk.

Ron blushed deeply and Neville and Seamus looked between the two with wide eyes. "Shall we head to breakfast?" Draco commented when no one said anything.

Neville shook his head first to clear his surprise at Draco's words. "Um, yeah, sure, let's go." He turned and grabbed Seamus's arm and pulled him down the hallway. Seamus was still looking between the two in confusion. Ron was blushing even deeper. Draco just laughed.

"Are you crazy? That's the only thing you could think of to say why I might want to kill you this morning?" Ron whispered harshly as they slowly followed behind them.

Draco laughed. He felt a tug on his robe which signaled that Harry was following them. He reached back and brushed Harry's fingers with his own before responding to Ron. "It's better to tell the truth, well, mostly the truth anyway," Draco replied with a wink.

Once they rounded the corner from the hallway, Hermione was waiting for them too and listening to what Draco had just said to Ron. She looked over at the two with amusement. Draco just smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "I hear that you're already making Ronald uncomfortable?" she asked.

"Eh, I do what I can to keep life interesting," Draco replied as he continued towards the portrait door.

Hermione laughed as she followed behind him. She knew that Harry was there because she could feel the bubble around Draco. She made sure she followed as closely as she could as to not rouse suspicion, but look totally natural. People chattered around them as they headed down to the Great Hall. Some other houses looked at those who were walking with Draco in surprise and curiosity. Draco ignored them, choosing to act as if he didn't notice. He carried on a conversation with Hermione about their advanced classes and paid the onlookers no mind.

When they arrived at the Great Hall doors, a group of Ravenclaws arrived at the same time. Amongst them were the three boys who had been giving Draco a hard time. He glanced at them and the main guy sneered and pushed past the group. The other two didn't put as much effort into a sneer and looked almost apologetic and followed him into the Great Hall. Draco missed the look that Hermione and Ron exchanged. Harry was fuming under his cloak and wanted more than anything to curse them right then and there.

They said nothing as they headed for their table. Draco sat in the same place as before. He could feel Harry sit next to him and it wasn't long before Harry's hand was resting on his leg. Draco sighed and felt his annoyance at the Ravenclaws slip away from Harry's touch. He served up his breakfast, heavy with sticky buns.

"It appears that Evan Roberts isn't a fan of you," Hermione whispered to Draco.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Is that his name?" he commented nonchalantly.

She nodded. "The other two are Jesse and Patrick Andrews. Their cousins, I think."

"None of those names sound familiar. They probably hate me because I'm Draco Malfoy, Death Eater Not Extraordinaire," Draco commented.

Ron snorted and was instantly given a glare from Hermione. He looked sheepish, but shrugged. "I'm sorry, I thought his descriptor was funny," he replied.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Is this the first time they've been like that?" she asked.

Harry gripped Draco's leg and Draco reached down and squeezed his hand in response. "No. They were the welcoming party from the train," Draco replied.

Hermione nodded. "Well, we'll keep an eye on them. They can't treat you that way, even if you might deserve it," she replied. She was mostly joking, but had a bit of seriousness in her tone. Harry glared daggers at her and even though she couldn't see him, she must have felt it because she looked in his general direction sheepishly.

"I do deserve it, but it doesn't mean it doesn't bother me any less," Draco replied. Hermione frowned and looked at him with a guilty look. Nothing more was said and Draco finished eating in silence. Harry gritted his teeth. He patted Draco's leg and stood from the table. He brushed his fingers along his back as he made his way over to the Great Hall doors. He had to get into class before the rest of the students left.

He made it to the doors and waited for someone to leave and slipped out behind them. He had Muggle Studies this hour which was not shared with any of his close friends. Draco and Hermione would be in Advanced Ancient Ruins and Ron would be in History of Magic. Harry sighed as he took a seat in the back and cast the necessary spells around him. He took out some parchment and stared at it. He wanted to send Draco a note. Anything really to let him know that he was thinking about him. He wrote something down and put it into his pocket and cast the spell. He heard the door open and looked over to watch some students come in. He was pleased to see that Evan, Jesse, and Patrick were in this class. At least he knew they weren't bothering Draco in this moment. They sat down in the row in front of him. Harry was pleased about this as well.

"Did you see Malfoy this morning? Thinking that he is better than all of us," Evan sneered.

Harry felt his anger spike. He watched as Jesse and Patrick exchanged confused looks. "He seemed to just be walking in like everyone else," Patrick commented.

Evan rolled his eyes. "You're an idiot. He thinks that he belongs here and he doesn't. I'm telling you, he should be in Azkaban. He's a horrible person," Evan responded angrily.

"You keep saying all this, but you're not giving a reason," Jesse replied.

"He's a Death Eater. That should be reason enough," he responded icily.

"Okay, but there are several sympathizers here, not just him, so why are you so focused on him?" Jesse countered.

"We're done talking about this!" Evan exclaimed. He took out his book and slammed it onto the table effectively cutting off any further comment from the cousins.

Harry frowned. What was this guy so hung up about? He wondered. He didn't have much time to ponder as the professor was coming in and was beginning their lesson.

 **XXXX**

Draco arrived in Ancient Ruins with Hermione. They took a seat in the back. Hermione quickly cast a silence bubble around them. "Are you alright?" she asked in concern.

Draco glanced over at her. "Yeah, I'm fine. Not much can be done. You're right, I do deserve it," he said quietly.

Hermione worried her lip. "I'm sorry, Malfoy, I didn't mean it like that. Well, I guess a part of me did, but I don't wish that on you," she replied.

Draco shrugged. "Its fine, Granger. It's to be expected. Harry seems to think that he can take care of it, but I'm not sure what he can do when he's invisible," Draco replied.

Hermione laughed. "You'd be surprised what Harry can do when he's invisible. He just cares for you a lot and he doesn't like it when someone he cares about is getting treated disrespectfully. Even if it's some karma catching up to him," she teased.

Draco laughed quietly. "It's strange, you know? I spent years wishing that Harry would be fiercely protective like he was with you and Weasley. To care enough about me that he would keep me safe. Although, he did, eventually, but it took us awhile to get to the point where he was doing it because he cared and not because he felt obligated. I'm finding that I very much like his fierceness and his determination to make it right and stop them from being gits. I am so unbelievably happy that he's mine and I just…." Draco stopped. His words and thoughts were starting to come together and he didn't want to voice his growing feelings for Harry to of all people, Granger. He blushed slightly and glanced over at her. She was smiling and looked almost teary eyed.

"I see it now. I accepted that you and Harry were together, but I didn't really see the why until now. You really honestly, and truly, care about him very deeply. And he feels the same too. You guys are perfect for each other. Really, absolutely perfect. I should have seen it years ago," she mused thoughtfully as she looked away and focused on the students who were walking in. Draco was blushing deeply and when he felt his pocket warm, his heart beat faster as he pulled out the note that Harry had sent him.

 _I liked waking up this morning, knowing that you were in the same room as me. I probably would have liked it better if I had woken up in your arms, but I'll make do with what I've got. Watching you wake up this morning made me realize something or maybe start to realize something. I'm not ready to tell you what exactly, but it's there. I also need to tell you that you don't deserve the way those blokes are treating you. I know you can't fight this battle, but I can and I will. No one gets to treat you that way. Have a good morning. I'll see you in DADA._

Draco's blush deepened and he felt his heart swell even more. He wanted to see Harry so badly right now. He wanted to kiss him and hold him and just be with him. His words, however brief, told him so much. He liked seeing him that morning eating breakfast. It allowed him a glimpse into their future. He liked the way he looked at him when he came out of the shower. He had Harry. He was his, finally, and he couldn't deny how it made him feel or how he felt about him. He loved Harry. He was in love with him and he couldn't believe it. He honestly couldn't believe that it was possible, but he loved him. He accepted it and was grateful for it.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked, looking over at him in concern.

Draco looked over at her and shook his head. He smiled and replaced the note in his pocket. "Nothing, just thinking about Harry is all," he replied quietly.

Hermione was about to respond, but the professor came in and she was instantly in model student mode. Draco couldn't help the grin that was plastered on his face. Because he was so distracted, he missed the look that a couple of his fellow Slytherins were giving him.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Here's a midweek update :). A little bit of Drarry snogging time and then some other stuff in this chapter. Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews. Enjoy!**

If looks could kill, Evan and his goons would have been dead before class even started. Harry was still fuming about the way they talked about Draco and his mind wandered often as he wondered what Evan's problem was. He knew it had to be deeper than just a general hatred of Death Eaters.

He sighed and tried to focus on the lesson. He took notes when necessary and wrote down his assignment. Once class ended, Harry snuck out behind some students and made his way to potions. He wished that Draco was in this class because watching him brew potions was an amazing thing to see, even if he hadn't noticed it in the way that he would now.

He arrived in potions and took a seat at the back again. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to do potions while invisible, but figured there'd be a way. He opened his potions textbook and saw an envelope. He opened it and read a note from McGonagall.

 _Mister Potter,_

 _It would be quite difficult to brew potions while under an invisibility cloak so I have secured the back table with a simple charm that will allow you to be invisible, but not under your invisibility cloak. You'll be able to safely brew a potion. This is the only class that you can use it in as it is the only class that it is necessary. The spell is_ me latet _. Good luck._

 _Headmistress McGonagall_

Harry smiled slightly. He waved his wand and muttered the charm. He took a deep breath and removed his cloak. There were students coming in, but none of them looked at him or even in his general direction. He smiled as he realized that he was most definitely invisible.

Professor Slughorn came in and began the lesson. Harry followed along quite well and produced a nearly perfect potion. He grinned as he capped the bottle. He sent it to the front with the rest and started to pack up. He put his cloak back on and went towards the door, following a group out. As he headed towards the tower for lunch, he saw Draco waiting at the beginning of the entrance to the dungeons. He was looking towards the Slytherin dorms. He looked thoughtful. Harry was about to acknowledge that he was there when Blaise Zabini and Theo Nott walked up to Draco. Harry rushed closer, worried that they were going to do something horrible to him.

"I'm surprised you came back, Draco," Blaise said as way of greeting.

"I didn't have much of a choice, now did I?" he drawled.

"True. Look, we noticed that you are getting along surprisingly well with the Gryffindors, what's up with that?" Blaise replied sounding more resigned.

Draco's indifferent mask nearly slipped and he nearly gave away too much, but luckily he recovered quickly enough. He shrugged. "We came to an agreement so to speak. Besides, I'm sharing my dorm with Weasley so it's better to get along, is it not?"

Blaise and Theo nodded. "I got Neville and Blaise has Seamus in his dorm. They aren't so bad and they've been surprisingly cordial," Theo replied. Draco nodded.

"Were you as surprised as us that Potter didn't come back?" Blaise commented.

Draco's indifferent mask fell and his eyes widened slightly. Harry held his breath. Blaise and Theo looked back in confusion. Draco recovered well enough and managed to shake it off. "Yes, but I suppose he's had enough fame for awhile," he replied.

"It's weird though. It doesn't seem like Hogwarts without Potter around," Theo mused.

Draco frowned. "Yes, I suppose that's true. Well, I have to head up to the tower before lunch. I forgot my DADA book. I'll see you guys later. Maybe we can hang out soon," Draco tried, changing the subject from Harry.

Blaise and Theo smiled and nodded. They waved and headed towards the Great Hall. Draco's shoulders sagged and he ran his hand through his hair and rubbed his face roughly. He muttered something as he started towards the stairs that led to the tower. Harry followed him. He wanted to say something, but there were too many students around. It wasn't until he was following Draco into the tower and towards their dorm that he felt somewhat safe to say something. Right before he was planning to say something, another eighth year, a Hufflepuff, came down their hallway. He looked a bit fearfully at Draco and skirted around him. Draco stopped and looked at him and shook his head. He continued down the hall and entered their room. Harry entered behind him. Draco headed for the bathroom so Harry took that opportunity to lock and silence their door, remove his cloak, and settled in on his bed.

Draco came out of the bathroom and stopped next to Ron's bed. He looked over at Harry in surprise. "Did you just get here?" he asked.

"I followed you all the way from the dungeons. I couldn't say anything because of all the people around," Harry replied.

Draco nodded and walked over, removing his robes along the way. He came around the other side of Harry's bed and collapsed on it, lying on his stomach. He groaned and closed his eyes. Harry reached out and rubbed his hand up and down his back in soothing patterns. "Remind me again why I am taking so many advanced classes," he muttered.

Harry laughed. He slid down and lay down on his side, facing Draco. He continued to run his hand up and down his back. "Because you're really smart and like a challenge," he replied.

Draco snorted and shook his head. "I'm a glutton for punishment," he responded.

Harry laughed and leaned forward to kiss the spot below his ear lobe. Draco sighed and turned so that he faced him. Harry reached out and brushed his thumb along his jawline. Draco's eyes fluttered closed. "Is everything alright?" Harry asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Things are fine. I just knew you'd be up here and wanted to be with you. I'm beginning to think I'm far too attached to you," he replied with a laugh.

Harry grinned and scooted forward. He kissed Draco gently. "There's no way you could be too attached," he teased.

Draco smirked and rolled his eyes. "I nearly left Ancient Ruins to find you because I wanted to be with you so badly. I've lost my mind. All I can think about is Harry Potter. What has this world come to?"

Harry laughed. "Well, you've always been very preoccupied with thoughts about me," he joked.

"I have not…." he stopped as Harry gave him a knowing look. Draco blushed, but squared his shoulders, well, as much as he could while lying down. "Fine, so you've been on my mind for years. I'll admit to it," he said in a mocking tone.

Harry laughed and kissed him again. "I admit it too," he replied against his lips. Draco smiled and returned the kiss. He pushed himself up onto his elbow and Harry moved so that he was lying on his back. He wrapped his arms around Draco and pulled him down on top of him. They fit perfectly together, as they always did. Draco brought one hand down and slipped it under Harry's shirt. His fingers danced across Harry's bare stomach, caressing him gently. Harry moaned quietly as he arched his back, pushing his hardening erection into Draco's equal hardness. Harry scraped his fingers up and down his back.

They moved against each other, kissing each other more deeply every minute that passed. All their unspoken feelings were swirling between them. Their orgasms built and crested at the same time. It was quick, but it was what they both needed. It tamed their rampant feelings. The feelings they weren't ready to share. Draco had accepted that he loved Harry and Harry was nearly there. They needed to reconnect even though it hadn't been that long since they had connected.

They broke apart, panting. Harry waved his wand, cleaning them both up. Draco rested his head on his shoulder and allowed Harry to hold him closely. "Draco?" Harry asked after several minutes.

"Hmm?" he asked sleepily.

"Will you sleep with me tonight?" Harry whispered unsurely.

Draco tipped his head up and looked at Harry in surprise. He smiled broadly after a moment especially when he took in the hopeful look in Harry's eyes. "Of course," he replied.

Harry grinned and held him tightly. He kissed the top of his head. "Good." He cast a quick tempus charm and nearly leapt from the bed. "We need to eat something fast. Classes start in fifteen minutes." He kissed Draco once more and they both got up quickly from the bed. Harry tapped the apple and food appeared. They grabbed a couple of sandwiches and downed some pumpkin juice before they situated themselves and got ready to go to class.

 **XXXX**

Harry and Draco had barely made it into Defense Against the Dark Arts before the teacher was swooping in, nearly stepping on Harry. Harry glanced back to look at him and he was frowning, looking in the direction that Harry was. Harry rushed to sit at the back while Draco headed towards the middle where he sat next to Blaise. Harry sighed, wishing that he could sit next to Draco, but he was also pleased that he would be able to watch him the entire time without being caught.

"Good afternoon, I am Professor Callum Reid. I am going to hope that the curse upon this job has been lifted as I am very good at teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts and I would hate to lose out on my job," he joked. Some students laughed, others thought that maybe it was too soon for that joke. Harry was somewhere in between. Professor Reid frowned, but didn't seem too bothered by the lack of response. "Well, tough crowd today, eh?" he paused and got a few more chuckles. He simply shrugged and continued talking. "In all seriousness, it is my understanding that your learning in this area has been shotty at best. I understand that you had three decent teachers and the rest were frauds?"

Hermione raised her hand uncertainly. "We only had two, Professor," she replied.

He frowned in thought. "Professor Lupin, Professor Snape, and Harry Potter?" he questioned.

Harry's eyes shot up and wide. He stared at the Professor in surprise. There were not many people who knew that he had been helping students learn defense. He glanced down at Draco and Blaise who both looked uncomfortable. Everyone else in the room was looking at each other and gasping their surprise.

"Well, I suppose that Mister Potter was only able to help a handful of the students, but no matter, the point is that you haven't had the best teachers in this area. Now, we may be entering a time of peace, but there will always be bad people in this world so it is always good to have a tool chest full of defensive spells at your disposal," he continued. He didn't go into specifics about which students had been left out or the fact that Draco and the rest of the Slytherins had been hard pressed to expose Harry and his merry band of wizards and witches. Harry was finding that he might actually like this teacher.

Harry found himself listening to the teacher and enjoying the practicality of what he was teaching. The spells were many that he already knew, but he could tell that many of the students who had not been a part of his group or the ones who had been were relishing in their learning. Harry was pleased by this. He watched from the back as they worked out the spells. Draco glanced in his general direction with a secret smile only for him and Harry felt his heart swell.

Towards the end of the lesson, everyone seemed to have been warming up to Professor Reid which was a breath of fresh air in his opinion. However, it seemed that Professor Reid was focusing on the spot that he was hidden. He knew that he couldn't see him, but it didn't mean that he couldn't sense that he was there. Some people had that ability. It was akin to the feeling you get when someone is staring at you or watching you. Harry didn't like that at all.

Once they were dismissed, Harry cast a hasty cooling charm on his seat and slipped out behind the early leavers. He made a beeline for his next class, Advanced Charms which he also had with Draco. He worried that Professor Reid would have gone back to where he had been sitting and tried to see if he had been there. He was pleased with himself for thinking of casting a cooling charm. Professor Reid would surely know that something was up if he hadn't done that.

Harry watched the door for Draco. When Draco came in, he was looking a bit worried. He went over to the back table and settled in next to Harry. He reached out and slid his hand across the bench and gave a quiet sigh when his hand touched Harry's. Harry cast a quick silence bubble around them as well as a stasis spell of sorts.

"Were you worried?" Harry whispered despite the silence.

"A little, but not because I was worried about whether or not you made it here. Professor Reid went straight to your spot as if he knew you had been there. He felt the table and bench where you had been sitting. He seemed to be confused and doubting himself so at least there's that," Draco whispered back.

Harry sighed and worried his lip even though Draco couldn't see him. "I thought he might do that. He must have sensed that I was there. He nearly caught me when we came in late. I cast a cooling charm. I just hope it dissipated before he went up there so he couldn't pick up on the signature. Maybe I should talk to McGonagall?" Harry suggested.

Draco let out a sigh of relief. "I took my time getting out of there because he had been paying such close attention to where you had been sitting. I think the cooling charm worked and I wouldn't worry too much, but maybe mention it to McGonagall."

Harry made an agreeing sound and squeezed Draco's hand in response. He cancelled the spells as more students came in. Draco went about getting out his materials out of his bag that was on the floor. He gasped sharply as someone walked past his table. Harry looked down and then up and saw Evan and his goons walking by.

"Oops, sorry, _Malfoy_ , didn't see your hand there," he jeered. Jesse and Patrick laughed uneasily.

Draco sat up, but said nothing. He cradled his hand in his lap, flexing his fingers a few times. Harry looked over at his hand and saw a bruise already forming. Draco brought both his hands up and set them on the table, his quill was in his left hand, his nondominant hand. Evan just laughed even more as he took his seat at the front.

Harry growled. He was not going to let him get away with it. "Leave it, please," Draco whispered, knowing exactly what was going through Harry's mind in that moment.

Harry hated this. It seemed that the pressure was building already for him to just come out of hiding, but that thought alarmed him so he was able to push away the need to defend his boyfriend and focus on the class. He slid his hand over and rested it on Draco's thigh. Draco dropped his left hand for a moment and linked their fingers together, squeezing once, before returning his hand to the table in an attempt to write down notes.

The class passed easily enough and despite being handicapped, Draco's notes looked better than Harry's. Evan glared at Draco as he walked by, but didn't hurt him further. It renewed the anger that Harry had towards him again.

Draco and Harry were the last to leave. It was nearly dinner time. Professor Flitwick left Draco alone in the classroom. Once he left, Harry spoke. "Are you alright?" he demanded, taking his cloak off his head so that he could examine Draco's hand. It was swollen and there was quite a harsh bruise forming. He took it carefully into his hands.

Draco winced at the touch. "It's fine. I'll just head up to Madam Pomfrey and then head to dinner. I'll see you tonight, okay?" he said. It was obvious that he was still quite upset and Harry knew that part of it was because of him. Draco leaned forward and kissed Harry quickly before he turned and left the room.

Harry sighed and waited a moment before he left. He followed Draco at an undetectable distance to make sure that he met no problems on the way to Madam Pomfrey. He waited in the corridor until he came out of the hospital wing, his hand bandaged. He followed him again to make sure that he made it to dinner without being attacked by Evan. Harry sighed as he watched the doors close on the boisterous Great Hall. He turned and walked up the steps, taking his time going back to the lonely tower.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Another chapter for you all! An article, a bit of action, maybe some challenges for Draco, and some fluff. Enjoy :) Thanks again for the reviews and follows :)**

Draco's stomach was in knots. He had never felt so defenseless against someone. He had been cursed and cursed many times in his life for 'training purposes', but he always had the opportunity to fight back. Even when the threat of Voldemort hung over his head, which was way worse than this, he could have fought back if he wanted to die. He couldn't fight back with Evan and he hated it. Madam Pomfrey said that he had broken a small bone in his hand and she didn't really believe the story he told her, but his mind was too muddled to come up with a good reason other than the truth which was that Evan had taken his steel toed boot and kicked him hard in the hand.

He loved that Harry had been itching to go after the kid for that. Hurt him back in the same way that he had hurt him, but he knew that if anything happened to them while he was in the same room, they'd accuse him of it and he would lose. It was one of the many times, in the past 24 hours, that Draco wished that Harry was not in hiding and there with him. He was positive that Evan would be less willing to make him his target if he knew about Harry and Draco's relationship.

He walked into the Great Hall and headed to the eighth years table. He didn't look in the direction of the Ravenclaw table, even though he wanted to sneer at the boy. There was a spot open next to Hermione. "May I sit here?" he asked her.

She looked up to smile at him, but frowned when she saw his expression. Her eyebrows scrunched in concern. "Of course. Are you…. What happened to your hand?" she demanded as Draco started to sit, showing his bandaged hand.

Ron turned to look around Hermione and Neville looked over as well. Draco frowned and felt his cheeks color. "Well, it seems that steel boots really do break bones," he muttered.

Hermione gasped. "What?" she whispered in surprise.

Draco waved his good hand at her and shook his head. "Just Roberts being a git. It's not a big deal," he replied. He used his left hand to scoop some food on to his plate, but wasn't having as much success as he did with writing. Hermione batted his hand away and helped him.

"You have to tell McGonagall. You may deserve a few harsh words, but not like this. In all the years that you treated us horribly, you never did something like that. Spells and jinxes, sure, but not broken bones," Hermione muttered as she scooped food onto his plate.

Draco shook his head. "I did break Har…Potter's nose," he pointed out.

Neville looked over at Draco with a questioning look. Draco looked up at him, frowning slightly. His heart was beating faster. He had nearly revealed that his connection with Harry was far different than it had been.

"Yes, well, he was getting in your business when he shouldn't have been although I suppose he had been right," she replied, glossing over his slip of tongue.

"I'm missing something," Neville said.

Hermione, Ron, and Draco looked over at him. Neville looked between them, things falling into place. He hadn't always been the most observant, but he had gotten better and he knew that the easy going nature between Ron and Hermione and Draco was not just a truce. There was more there. He was about to say more when owls started to swoop in.

Everyone looked up, preparing to receive the evening post. The evening Prophet dropped in front of Hermione and she picked it up, effectively ending, hopefully, the direction that Neville's thoughts were going. She gasped as she looked at the front cover. Draco looked over and Ron did as well as their stomachs dropped for just a moment. Draco paled further.

 _Where is Harry Potter?_

 _With the new term of Hogwarts commencing, and two of the three of the Golden Trio returning to Hogwarts, one is left wondering, where is Harry Potter? Yes, dear readers, you read that correctly. Harry Potter is not at Hogwarts. As a matter of fact, he has not been seen since the month after the Battle of Hogwarts. Where has our hero gone? Did he really survive? Were the "sightings" of Harry Potter merely distractors from the real story that he had perished along with so many other poor souls? Is our world missing the most famous wizard to have ever lived next to Merlin? As your most trusted reporter, I will get to the bottom of this story. When asked, Minister Shacklebolt chose to not comment as did the esteemed Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall. Suspicious indeed, dear readers, very suspicious._

Hermione slammed the paper down and crossed her arms. Draco looked like he was going to be sick and pushed his plate away. Ron was frowning and did not look pleased with the article either. Neville snatched up the paper and read the article. He set it down and looked over at Hermione, Draco, and Ron. Something was most definitely up.

Neville stood and leaned forward. "What is going on?" he demanded in a quiet voice.

"Not now, Longbottom," Draco whispered harshly.

Neville looked over at him angrily. "Harry is my friend and I demand to know what is going on," he whispered back.

"Later, Neville, alright?" Hermione replied. She wasn't sure that she had the right to promise Neville answers, but this new Neville was not going to let this go. She could tell. Neville frowned, but sat back down. She looked over at Draco. He had pulled his plate back to him and started to eat a bit of the things on his plate. Hermione sighed and went back to eating.

After dinner, the four of them made their way up to the tower in silence. Evan had locked eyes on Draco at one point, but immediately looked away when the other three flanked Draco. Once they arrived in the tower, Hermione went to drop off her bag. Once in the hallway to the boys' dorm, Neville turned on Draco. He startled and backed up into the wall.

"Tell me what is going on, now," Neville hissed.

Draco's eyes widened. This was not the bumbling Neville Longbottom from before seventh year. This Neville was strong and confident. If Draco's nerves weren't already fried, he'd have admired him in that moment.

Ron stepped in and pushed Neville back. "Calm down, Neville. Will you give us a minute?" Ron asked calmly.

Neville looked between the two and sighed, stepping out of Draco's bubble. Draco relaxed slightly, but whipped around, his cloak billowing behind him and stormed down the hallway to his dorm. Ron gave Neville an apologetic look and turned to follow Draco.

Draco slammed the door open and Harry looked up in surprise. He was just finishing his dinner. He stood and approached Draco in alarm. Ron came in behind him and shut the door, locking and silencing it.

"Draco, what's the matter?" Harry asked his tone alarmed as he reached out to him. Draco shook his head and went over to his bed. He threw his book bag onto the bed and then Draco flopped down onto his bed, burying his face into the pillow. Harry looked from him to Ron, waiting for an explanation.

"Neville is out in the hallway, demanding an explanation to an article that was written in the Prophet. I think he knows that something isn't right with you," Ron replied. He sat down on his trunk and handed the Prophet to Harry. Ron had grabbed it off the table before they had left. Harry took it from him and read the front page article. He rolled his eyes at the dramatics of his least favorite reporter's interpretation as to why he wasn't at Hogwarts.

"That beetle-brained witch," he muttered as he set the article down and walked over to Draco's bed. He stood on the other side, looking down at him in worry. "May I sit?" he asked him quietly. Draco's shoulders went up in a shrug, so Harry took that as a yes of sorts and sat down. Draco immediately moved to wrap his arms around Harry and place his head in his lap. Harry laughed quietly and rested his hand on his back.

"What's Neville's deal?" Harry asked.

"I may have not had the best reaction to seeing that article," Draco responded, speaking for the first time.

Harry looked down at him. "What did you do?"

Draco sighed. "I may have looked a bit sick and pushed my plate away," he replied.

Harry sighed, but laughed. "You're losing the ability to keep your emotions in check it seems," he teased.

Draco snorted. "You're rubbing off on me…."

Harry pushed on his arm. He looked up at Ron who was watching the exchange in confusion. "What does Neville need?" he asked, causing Ron to look away from their actions and look at Harry.

"I guess he just wants to know what's going on and why Malfoy reacted the way he did," Ron replied.

Harry sighed and worried his lip. "He won't give up asking, will he?" Ron and Draco both shook their heads. Harry sighed and nodded. Ron stood, understanding what that meant, and walked over to the door. He opened it and motioned down the hallway. Harry watched as Hermione came in first, followed by Neville. Ron shut the door, adding the wards back on. Neville frowned at his actions.

"Finally, geez, were you both trying to get your story straight as to what you'd tell me?" Neville demanded. His back was to Harry and Draco. Hermione had spotted them and looked over at them fondly.

"They had to make sure that I wanted you to know," Harry replied instead.

Neville whipped around, a smile brightening his stern features. It slipped the second he saw the way that Harry and Draco were sitting on the bed. He looked at them both in confusion. Draco sat up and Harry stood. Draco got up from the bed as well and came around to stand behind Harry. "What the hell?" he spluttered out.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "It's a long story, Nev," he replied. Neville's eyes widened at the nickname and then he looked around the room, taking it all in, realizing what they had been trying to hide, well mostly anyway.

"Who gave you the gillyweed in fourth year?" Neville asked.

Harry frowned slightly at the question, but soon realized what he meant. "Technically, Barty Crouch Junior, but he went through you to give it to me," he replied.

Neville grinned. "Sorry, I had to check. So um, I'm really, really confused right now," he said as he gestured at Harry and then between Harry and Draco.

"You might want to sit for this, mate," Ron offered, gesturing towards the sitting area. Neville nodded as he made his way over there. The rest of them followed. Draco and Harry sat in front of the fire. Neville stared in disbelief as Draco sat closer to Harry than a normal person would. He also noted that Harry's face relaxed once Draco was so near.

"Where would you like me to start?" Harry asked.

"Um…. how about with you and Malfoy?" he asked, wanting this situation cleared up as quickly as possible. He felt better knowing that Harry was alive and well and definitely himself so now that he saw that, he was more curious about how he and Draco came to be.

Harry and Draco glanced at each other, giving each other private looks that probably should have been kept between them, but Neville could see that there were a lot of strong feelings between them. He glanced over at Ron and Hermione who were both looking away, blushing.

"The short story, Harry came to me in sixth year about two months before Dumbledore died. We became friends then and communicated over the next year and a half, our friendship building during that time. After the battle here, we reconnected and realized that we had more feelings for each other than just as friends, but Harry had just come back from everything that happened while we were here and he needed time to get back to normal. I didn't want to start something with him until he was ready," Draco explained.

"I thought I was ready then, but it turns out that Draco had been right," Harry commented as he bumped Draco's shoulder with his own. Draco rolled his eyes, but looked over at Harry with a look of relief.

"About a month after that, while I was in France with my mother and Granger and Weasley were in Australia, and Harry and I had been communicating over that month, Harry realized that he was having a really hard time with everything so he came to stay with me. He sorted through everything there and after about a month, he finally convinced me that we should be together for real and that's when we got together, officially," Draco finished.

Neville's mouth had dropped open by the end. Harry and Draco were together and it was obvious that the feelings had been going on for far longer than they had been together. "How did you keep this from everyone?" he asked quietly.

"Draco charmed these pockets and they were able to transfer anything that we put into them to the other person. We kept in contact that way," Harry replied.

"We didn't know that he and Draco were official until a month after, so you're not too alone in this," Hermione joked.

"Well, that answers the lingering question as to why you and Ron aren't being awful to Malfoy," Neville replied.

Ron laughed. "He's not so bad after all, well, now anyway," he said in a teasing tone.

Draco glared over at him, but laughed. "Most of the time," he replied.

Neville sat back, feeling better now that he knew a big chunk of the story. "So, what about why you're not here? I mean, obviously you're here, but I haven't seen you at all," he asked.

Harry glanced down at his feet. "Well, I am here and attending classes. McGonagall knows as does Kingsley, but I'm just not ready to face the onslaught of attention. I just want to get through this last year and then start my life without the pressure, you know? I'm not ready for it. Of course, I have often regretted that decision many times already since being here, but I don't want to reveal myself until I'm ready to deal with it. I had hoped that the Prophet wouldn't write such articles about me, but apparently Rita Skeeter is above all laws that govern them," Harry was frowning by the end and glaring at his shoes.

"I get it, mate, I do, but it might be better to just face the music now and get it over with. If you wait, and come out when you're ready, it's just going to be a whole lot worse and you'll probably regret it more than you do now," Neville suggested.

"We've tried telling him that," Hermione added.

Harry's glare intensified. He had been thinking about if it was worth it to hide out, but he was just not ready to deal with it. Draco wrapped his arm around him, even though he wanted Harry out in the open more than anything. "He needs more time," Draco replied for him.

The other three nodded reluctantly. They sat in silence for a few moments, digesting this new information. Finally, Ron spoke up. "What are you going to do about that article? She's going to write more articles if you don't do something in response," he asked.

Harry nodded. "I'll send them a statement. Actually, maybe McGonagall can let me off the grounds so I can do the statement in person. I imagine she'll just make up stuff about how it wasn't really me who wrote it, etcetera," he replied.

"What will you say?" Hermione asked.

Harry grinned. "I'll have a little fun with it. I'll be in hiding after all anyway so it won't matter. It'll be fun," he replied with a wink. The four of them looked at him with questioning looks. He just grinned and said nothing more.

After some general discussion about how the first day went, the conversation got around to Draco's broken hand. "What happened?" Hermione asked him.

Draco frowned and brought his hand up to his chest. "I already told you," he replied quietly.

"Roberts did it," Harry interjected.

"She already knows that," Draco replied.

Harry frowned. "If anything at this point is going to make me come out of hiding, it's that git. He has no right to be that way towards you."

"Why does that kid have it in for you?" Ron asked.

Draco shrugged. "I don't know. It has to be more than the fact that I'm a Death Eater. I'm not the only one here," he replied.

"You may not be the only one, but you are the most famous," Hermione pointed out.

Draco laughed and shook his head. "My boyfriend is the famous wizard who destroyed the Dark Lord and I'm the famous kid Death Eater who followed the Dark Lord blindly," he said in a mocking tone.

"Hey, you didn't follow him blindly. You didn't have a choice," Harry countered.

"You may know that, and these three may know that, but to pretty much everyone else, it's the truth. It's their truth."

"Can you ask your mother if she might recognize his surname?" Hermione asked.

Draco shrugged. "I'll ask, but I doubt it. Despite what you may think, my father kept a majority of his evil doings from her. It's possible that he did something to Roberts's family and that's why he's taking it out on me. I don't know though," he replied.

Hermione nodded and stifled a yawn. "Well, I think we've had enough excitement for one night. I'll see you all in the morning. She stood and leaned down to kiss the top of Ron's head. They both blushed at the rare show of affection in front of others. Harry grinned at his two best friends. Neville stood as well as the rest of them.

He stepped towards Harry and pulled him into a hug. Harry let out a surprised sound and Draco felt a little green at what he was seeing. Harry returned the hug. Neville stepped back. "I'm glad you're here and I'll keep your secret safe," he said. He smiled at Harry before he left their room. Ron watched him leave and then turned to look at Harry and Draco. Draco was glaring slightly at Harry. Ron shook his head and turned around, heading into the bathroom.

"Not exactly how I planned to reveal that I'm here to someone else, but at least he knows," Harry said as he turned to face Draco. He took in Draco's expression and frowned. "What's the matter?"

Draco shook his head and relaxed his features. "Sorry, Weasley is one thing, Longbottom is another," he said as he turned and headed towards his wardrobe. Harry frowned and followed after him.

"What does that mean?" he asked in confusion.

"I don't need to worry about Ron going after you, but Longbottom is another story," Draco replied.

Harry laughed loudly. "Neville? Are you serious?" he said through bouts of laughter.

Draco whirled around and glared at him. "You didn't see the hug from my angle," he replied petulantly.

Harry stopped laughing and wiped at his eyes. He walked over to him and looped his arms around Draco's waist. Draco kept his arms crossed against his chest and turned his head slightly. Harry kissed his exposed neck and nuzzled against him. "Neville is a good friend, but he has nothing on you," Harry whispered as he kissed the shell of his ear gently.

Draco sighed and dropped his arms, wrapping them around Harry and pulling him close. "I'd fight him to the death anyway," Draco said confidently as he turned his head and captured Harry's lips in a kiss.

Harry kissed him back and then laughed. "Pretty sure Neville isn't gay," he replied.

"Again, you didn't see the hug," Draco responded.

Harry sighed and kissed him again. They broke apart and Harry looked up at him. He brought one hand up and brushed his thumb against Draco's cheek. "It doesn't matter one way or the other because my heart is firmly in your grasp," he whispered.

Draco felt his stomach flutter at Harry's words and was prepared to say three words to him that he'd been thinking for days. Of course, as he's about to open his mouth, Ron comes out of the bathroom. They step away from each other, even though Ron is not looking in their direction. They each take their turn in the bathroom. When Harry walks out, Ron's hangings are closed and his light is out.

"Night," Harry said as he walked by.

"Night," Ron replied.

Harry walks over to his bed and sees Draco already underneath his covers. Harry grins, excited to sleep with him for the night. He slips into bed, extinguishes both their lights, and closes the hangings around his bed. Draco has his back to Harry, but turns so that Harry can kiss him good night. They smile shyly at each other before Harry slides down, slipping one arm under Draco's pillow and the other around his waist. He molds himself perfectly to Draco's warm body and kisses his back once before closing his eyes. They both slept very well that night and at no point disconnected from one another.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Another chapter for you all! We have 16 left after this... That seems like so much. I think I'll start posting a bit more often ;). Also, I finished the one-shot I was working on. I'll post that when this is done as it was somewhat inspired by this story, but not in any way related to this story. Thanks again, as always, for the reviews and follows. I love them! Enjoy :)**

The week passed with little problem. Evan didn't try anything more against Draco and he was able to relax somewhat towards the end of the week. The Prophet had been inundated with Harry Potter 'sightings' each more outlandish than the last. Harry had discussed his plans with McGonagall and she was allowing him off grounds to do make a personal statement to the Prophet. Classes had gone well and the next time they were in DADA, Professor Reid hadn't made it obvious that he sensed Harry any longer. Harry and Draco hadn't had anytime alone together and settled for stolen kisses and sleeping together at night. Draco hoped that once Harry returned from making his statement, that they'd have time to themselves. It was Saturday after all.

Harry said his good-byes to Draco before breakfast and headed up to McGonagall's office to floo to the Prophet offices. He flooed over there. Once he tumbled out of the floo, brushed off his robes, and made sure that he was presentable enough, he took a deep breath and headed out of the public floo. He arrived at the front desk and was greeted with a disgruntled looking receptionist.

"How may I help you?" she asked in a rude tone, not looking up from her latest copy of Witch Weekly. Harry frowned at how obvious she was being with this magazine.

"I'm here to see Rita Skeeter," he replied.

"Down the hall and to the left," she replied without looking up. Harry frowned, wondering about the security of this place. He shook his head and headed in the direction of her office. Her door was open and he could hear her muttering in there. He rapped on the door and waited. She threw up a finger to make him wait. He frowned further. She was in for a surprise when she saw who her guest was.

"Yes, what is it?" she finally asked as she looked up. She gasped loudly and dropped her quick notes quill in surprise. Harry smiled meanly at her and stepped into her office and shut the door behind him. She had the grace to look fearful for a moment. "Mister Potter, I'm surprised to see you here," she said, her voice shaking.

"Well, Voldemort himself could walk through that door and your receptionist wouldn't know any different," he replied. She visibly shuttered at the use of Voldemort's name and then bristled at his comment. She stood and walked around her desk, getting into Harry's bubble. He held his ground, not allowing her to get the upper hand.

"I will speak with her then. Now, what brings you here?" she asked sweetly. Her quick quotes quill was scribbling away behind her. Harry rolled his eyes.

"It appears that you have some questions about my whereabouts so here I am to set the record straight," he told her as he crossed his arms in a menacing manner.

She frowned and stepped back slightly. Harry Potter hated the press, hated her, so why would he be willing to give her a statement? "Animagus?" she asked.

"Beetle," he replied.

Her eyes widened. "Well, now that we know it's you, have a seat Mister Potter," she said hastily as she moved back to her desk and sat down. Harry walked near a chair, but only sat on the arm. He didn't want to be beneath her.

"I'm going to give my statement and you are allowed two questions. You will write exactly how I am behaving and nothing else. Your quick quotes will not write anything that is not obviously there," Harry said, setting out the terms.

Skeeter spluttered a few times at his requests, but eventually nodded in agreement. "Very well, then, give me your statement," she said.

"Thank you. You can tell your readers that I am alive and well and did in fact survive the battle. I have been keeping to myself in my private residence as I deal with the losses and figuring out what life is supposed to be like after the childhood I had. I am getting my NEWTs through a private tutor and will finish those soon enough. I am unsure of my plans after getting my NEWTs, but fully intend to spend time with my boyfriend and enjoy being an adult until responsibilities come knocking. I wish for my privacy at this time and I will rejoin the public when I am ready," he told her.

Skeeter's eyes widened to the point where she did look like a beetle at his boyfriend comment. "Boyfriend?" she asked in disbelief.

"One question down, and I believe I already answered that," he replied.

She spluttered at this. "But, who is it?" she cried. She was on the edge of her seat.

Harry grinned. "I couldn't possibly reveal who he was and have him deal with all the questions he'd be asked if I'm not out in the public eye. Just know that he is very important to me and that I have never been happier in my life. When he is ready for the world to know that he's mine and I'm his, then everyone will know. I'm happy and he makes my world a better place. It took a long time to get where we are, but we're here and we're not going anywhere." Harry's heart swelled and he knew that he needed to tell Draco that he loved him. Draco did make his life better. His life worth living. He had to know that.

"But, but….Harry, please, I…." she was at a loss for words.

Harry stood and shrugged. "You agreed to the terms, Skeeter. Now if you'll excuse me, I have someone to get back to," he said. He smiled at her and walked out of her office. She continued to splutter behind him and scrambled to follow him out. Harry walked past the receptionist who looked up to see first Rita Skeeter and then Harry Potter. She stood up in surprise and looked over at her boss apologetically. Harry disappeared to the floos, but couldn't help but laugh when he heard Rita laying into the receptionist.

He flooed back to Hogwarts and tumbled out of the floo in McGonagall's office. She wasn't in there so Harry simply left, putting his cloak back on and planning his afternoon with Draco. He wanted it to be special. He was going to tell him that he loved him.

 **XXXX**

That night, at dinner, Harry sat next to Draco. He had been mum about what his statement had been and told him that he'd just have to wait and see that evening when the Prophet was delivered. He had also been cryptic about his plans for the evening. They had been hanging around people all day and hadn't had a moment alone. Draco was itching to be with him.

The proper silencing and stasis spells were around them while they ate. "Harry, you're driving me crazy with this. What did you say? What are you planning? When can we be alone?" he whispered the last question. His tone was whiny. Harry just laughed and squeezed his thigh.

"Soon, Draco, soon," was all Harry said in response.

Draco growled and poked angrily at his food. Harry just laughed. Harry cancelled the spells when he saw the first of the owls coming in. Prophets dropped around them and he watched as Hermione opened hers and scanned the no doubt front page article. She grinned as she read it and looked over in their direction with a pleased smile. Ron was laughing as well. Hermione handed it to Draco. He lifted it up so that the rest of the Great Hall couldn't see his expression as he read it. He had not been doing very well keeping his emotions in check when Harry's name was mentioned.

 _Well, readers, I have to say that I had a very surprising encounter today. Mister Harry Potter, himself, came to my office and gave me a statement in response to my articles this week. I would like to say that it was expected and that I wasn't surprised by it, but I can't lie about this, dear readers. Here is his statement: I am alive and well and did in fact survive the battle. I have been keeping to myself in my private residence as I deal with the losses and figuring out what life is supposed to be like after the childhood I had. I am getting my NEWTs through a private tutor and will finish those soon enough. I am unsure of my plans after getting my NEWTs, but fully intend to spend time with my boyfriend and enjoy being an adult until responsibilities come knocking. I wish for my privacy at this time and I will rejoin the public when I am ready._

 _You read that right, readers. Harry Potter is taken. I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen (apparently), but he is off the market. When asked who his boyfriend (yes, you read that right, boyfriend) is, he replied, "I couldn't possibly reveal who he was and have him deal with all the questions he'd be asked if I'm not out in the public eye. Just know that he is very important to me and that I have never been happier in my life. When he is ready for the world to know that he's mine and I'm his, then everyone will know. I'm happy and he makes my world a better place. It took a long time to get where we are, but we're here and we're not going anywhere."_

 _That's all I have for now readers. I am speechless at this news._

Draco's hands were shaking by the time he finished the article. He read Harry's statement over and over and his answer to her follow up question over and over. Harry worried his lip as he waited for Draco to give some sort of reaction to it. Draco set the paper down, a calm mask firmly in place. Harry sat back and frowned. Maybe he shouldn't tell him that he loved him tonight.

Hermione and Ron looked at him in confusion. "Are you alright?" Hermione asked.

Draco looked up at her and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you," he replied. He returned to his food and continued eating. It wasn't long before the chatter of the news about Harry started making its way towards them. Many people were letting out surprised cries and there were a few sobs that Harry heard. He glanced around at the students and noticed a mixed bag of emotions. His eyes settled on Evan who was listening to Jesse and Patrick read the article. He looked pissed and looked up, directly at Hermione and Ron. He frowned. Ginny bounded down to where they had been sitting.

"Is this true?" she demanded of them, gesturing towards the article.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look. "Yes, it is quite true. We have been respecting Harry's privacy," Hermione replied.

Ginny put her hand on her hip and looked at them thoughtfully. "Well, I suppose I'm not too surprised. I wonder who he's dating," she pondered as she walked away.

Hermione sighed. Harry quickly cast the spells that were needed to talk to them. "Sorry, I suppose you'll have to deal with some questions…." he trailed off.

Hermione waved her hand in his direction. "Doesn't matter. We'll say exactly what we just said to Ginny," she replied with a smile. Ron nodded in agreement.

Harry cancelled the spells again and slipped out of the Great Hall behind some students. He made his way to the astronomy tower. It was completely redesigned and held none of the look as the old one. Harry was relieved by that. He sat down on the blanket he had set-up and made sure that the picnic basket was just so. He had cast wards around the tower to deter anyone from coming up. He scribbled a note to Draco and sent it on his way. He really hoped that he would come. He had been acting so strangely after he had read the article. Harry was a bit worried.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: What's this? Another chapter? Warning: lots of boy love in this chapter, skip it if you don't want to read it. Well, read some of it because there is some non-sexual stuff in here towards the beginning lol. Enjoy!**

It had been a half an hour since Harry had sent the note to Draco and he hadn't received a response. He had paced the floor of the astronomy tower for going on twenty-five minutes. He was about to call the night a wash and watch the remnants of the sunset disappear by himself when he heard movement behind him. He turned and saw Draco arriving at the top of the steps. He approached carefully and Harry felt his heart hammering in his chest. He started towards him, but stopped when Draco held up his hand.

"Did you mean what you said in your statement?" he asked.

Harry frowned. "Of course, I did. I may not be able to shout from the roof tops that I'm with you at this point, but I'm not afraid to say that I have a boyfriend and that they mean the world to me," Harry replied.

Draco shifted his weight and ran his hand through his hair. Harry took him in and noticed that he had put on jeans and a silver-blue sweater. He looked amazing and the twilight made his blond hair stand out more. Harry sighed audibly. Draco met his gaze and saw that Harry was checking him out.

"That was a pretty great statement," Draco said after a moment. He grinned and Harry nearly melted. He walked over to him and threw his arms around him. He stepped back and kissed Draco passionately. Draco pulled him closer, tilting his head for better access. Harry's worries of Draco's reaction drifted away.

They broke apart and Harry blushed deeply as he turned and gestured to the blanket that was sitting there with the basket next to it. Draco smiled warmly and sat down. Harry joined him. "You sure do know how to make a man sweat. I was freaking out up here," Harry said.

Draco laughed. "I'm just practicing keeping my cool mask in place so that I don't reveal that I'm the boyfriend you're talking about," he teased.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Merlin, I thought you were angry with me."

Draco looked over at him, giving him a look that suggested he was an idiot. "Harry Potter just admitted to the world that he had a boyfriend. We're halfway there to the world finding out it's me. How could I possibly be mad?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. That's what confused me. I didn't think it would make you mad at all. When you didn't show up right away, my mind assumed otherwise."

"Well, I couldn't meet you wearing my day clothes. I had to spruce up for the night. Make you drool over me. You know me better than that," he teased.

Harry grinned and went to straddle him. Draco was leaning back on his hands and grinning at him. Harry could see Draco's eyes shining brightly and knew that his sweater was to blame. "You look amazing," he whispered.

He leaned forward and kissed him. Draco returned the kiss eagerly and soon he was lying backwards, bringing Harry with him. Harry settled over him and pressed into him. The excitement of the moment was prevalent to them both. Harry ground into him. Draco moaned at the contact. It had been a few days since they had been able to find time to be physical. They had meant to start out slow and hadn't so much at first, but the time between slowed them down. In this moment though, their passion was just too much.

Harry sat up and gripped the hem of Draco's shirt. Draco's eyes had darkened and he nodded to Harry as he gripped the shirt and lifted it over Draco's head. Draco sat up and removed Harry's shirt. They settled back on each other, relishing in the skin to skin contact. Harry kissed across Draco's jaw line, down his neck, and down his chest. He stopped at one nipple and sucked gently on it. Draco cried out in surprise, but it was soon followed with a groan and an arching back.

Harry grinned and sucked a few more times before he moved down. He stopped when he got to Draco's cock. He sat up and looked down at Draco. He was panting and his eyes were closed, but the moonlight was now shining just enough that Harry could see just how beautiful he was. He had to tell him that he loved him before he continued because he wanted to go further than they had, but he couldn't do that until he told him.

"Draco?" Harry asked.

Draco's eyes opened and Harry gasped at how dark they had become. They looked unbelievably stormy and dangerous. He loved it. "What?" he asked, his tone suggesting that he wanted Harry to get back to what he had been doing.

Harry leaned forward and pressed a kiss against Draco's ear lobe. His breath ghosted across his ear and Harry could feel Draco shudder beneath him. "I love you," Harry whispered before he nuzzled into Draco's ear.

Draco gasped and turned his head to look at Harry. Harry sat back and looked down at him. Draco pushed up to a sitting position and Harry slid back to settling on his thighs. "What did you say?" he asked in a small voice.

"I love you," Harry repeated.

Draco's eyes widened further and Harry could see wetness glinting at the corners of his eyes. Draco bit his lip and then wrapped his arms around Harry, holding him tightly against him. Harry laughed at his reaction, but held him just as tightly. "Merlin, Harry, I love you too," Draco replied, his voice breaking.

Draco sat back and kissed Harry. The kiss was intense and soon they were back in the position they had been before Harry professed his love. Harry returned to kissing a path down his chest and was once again unbuckling Draco's belt. Harry undid his belt and trousers, slipping them off his hips. Draco's cock pressed against his pants, begging to be released. Harry salivated at the sight which surprised him. He leaned forward and kissed the base of Draco's cock through his pants. Draco cried out at the unexpected kiss.

"I want to try something," Harry whispered as he looked up at Draco.

"Okay," Draco replied not caring what Harry wanted to do as long as he went back to pleasing him.

Harry slipped his hands into Draco's pants and slid them down his thighs. He cast a warming charm around them before he continued with his idea. He leaned forward and took Draco into his mouth. Draco groaned and arched up, Harry moved with the movement and took his time worshiping Draco's cock, pleasuring him and bringing him nearly to the edge. Draco was shaking beneath the onslaught of Harry's mouth. Harry broke away and muttered a spell on his fingers.

"Trust me, okay?" he assured Draco.

Draco's eyes snapped open and he looked down at him with a questioning look. Harry caressed Draco's entrance and watched Draco's eyes widen. He tensed beneath him, but Harry brought his free hand up and soothed Draco's fears away. He relaxed beneath his touch and Harry continued his movements. He circled the opening, pushing in slightly more each time. Draco slowly relaxed and enjoyed the different sensation. He knew that eventually they would need to explore this part of their relationship because that was how they would completely give themselves to one another. Harry was being as gentle as possible and Draco entertained for a moment what it would feel like for him to enter him with his hard cock. His own cock jumped at the thought.

Harry continued moving in and out of him, further and further each time with one finger. Draco was relaxed now and his eyes were closed again. Harry put his mouth around Draco's leaking cock and continued his previous movements while sinking into Draco even further. Harry felt Draco writhing beneath him so he added a second finger, slowly and Draco tensed around him again. Harry lifted his head and caressed him again to soothe him. Harry shifted, hooking Draco just so with the one finger that was completely in him. Draco cried out and arched off the blanket. Harry looked up at him in alarm.

"Merlin's balls, Harry!" he cried, screwing his eyes shut and quivering beneath him.

"Are you okay?" Harry demanded, completely withdrawing from Draco. He shot out with seeker like reflexes and grabbed Harry's wrist.

"I don't know what you just did, but please do it again," Draco begged.

Harry laughed and kissed Draco quickly before he returned to what he had been doing. He took Draco back into his mouth and entered him once again. Draco arched and bucked beneath him and Harry could feel his cock pulsing in his mouth and he knew that it wouldn't be long before Draco was coming. He took that moment to hook his fingers, both this time, again and relished in the cries that Draco made as hot come shot into Harry's mouth with powerful force and he tensed around him. Harry's cock ached against his jeans as he imagined what that tightness would feel like around his own cock.

He leaned back once he knew Draco was done. He wiped his mouth with his free hand and cast a cleansing spell on his other hand. He grinned at Draco who was still panting and still had his eyes screwed tightly shut.

After several moments, Draco's eyes snapped open and he looked at Harry with surprisingly bright eyes. "How in Merlin's name did you know to do that?" he asked.

Harry laughed and shrugged. "I assumed that in order for two men to have sex they would use that particular entrance. I was curious to see how it would make you feel and I am pleased with what I saw," he replied as if he were a scientist explaining an experiment that he had just performed.

Draco laughed. "So proper," he teased.

Harry grinned and leaned down to kiss him. His still hard cock pressed into Draco's thigh. Draco sat up on his elbows and looked at Harry apologetically. Harry shrugged like it didn't bother him, but Draco ignored that as he pushed Harry off of him and gestured for Harry to lie down. Harry did just that and gave Draco a questioning look. Draco reached for Harry's buckle and undid it. He didn't take his time pulling his trousers down or waiting for permission to pull Harry's pants down as well. Harry gasped and tipped his head backwards as Draco descended upon his leaking cock. Draco considered doing the same thing that Harry had done, but chickened out and decided to focus on something that he knew he could do well.

He moved up and down Harry's cock, sucking and running his tongue up and down. Harry was nearly bursting beneath him and soon was tensing and coming, gripping Draco's hair as he came. Draco swallowed every drop this time, knowing what to expect. He moved away once Harry was finished. They were both panting and naked which caused them both to blush deeply and get their clothes back on.

Once dressed, they settled back on the blanket and stared up at the sky. Harry summoned a blanket from his picnic basket and placed it over them. Draco wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulder and Harry turned into him, snuggling into his warmth. They stared up at the stars for several moments before either of them spoke.

"Thank you for what you said in the Prophet. I know that only those who know about us know who you're referring to, but I appreciate it all the same. I can't wait to hear what people have to say about it," Draco joked.

Harry laughed. "I'm pretty sure I heard some sobbing in the Great Hall," he replied.

Draco snorted. "You broke many hearts tonight Mister Potter, what do you have to say for yourself?" he asked in a classic movie reporter voice.

Harry laughed and popped up on his elbow to look down at Draco. "Draco, I can call you Draco, right?" Draco nodded in agreement, grinning. "Well, Draco, I didn't mean to leave so many hearts broken tonight, but alas, it could not be helped. The heart wants, what the heart wants and my heart wants you and only you," Harry said his voice more normal at the end. Draco felt his stomach flutter as he looked up at him.

"Great answer," he replied quietly as he accepted the kiss that Harry gave him. The night had gone perfectly and Harry and Draco were so ridiculously in love that they felt that nothing could stand in their way. They spent the rest of the evening wrapped up in one another, stealing kisses here and there. Draco explained the constellations that they could see to Harry and the stories behind them. Harry felt himself drifting many times as Draco's voice soothed him. It was after the third time that he nearly fell asleep that Draco suggested they go inside. Harry agreed and they made their way back inside and to bed, together.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Shame, shame, Neville's his name lol. Okay, I'm not sure if that's right, but oh well. Here's another chapter for you all. I won't leave you hanging too long today. Enjoy!**

The next few weeks went by easily enough. Evan only glared at Draco and appeared to not care as much about making his life hell. Harry's statement and coming out so to speak was still top news amongst the Prophet and the students of Hogwarts. After the twentieth person pestered Hermione and Ron for information about Harry, it was soon spread around that asking them anything about him would get them hexed. They had enjoyed a blissful two weeks without a word about Harry.

Draco and Harry had been unable to find time to be alone again, even on the weekends. Homework was very daunting and in the moments that they had time to themselves, they were too wiped to do anything. They continued to sleep in the same bed each night and whisper 'I love yous' and spend time just being together, but other physical things were pushed to the side.

It was on one particular night, nearly four weeks since the astronomy tower that Harry was beginning to wonder if Draco had been right about something. Draco and Hermione were working on a large project together for Ancient Runes and were working up in the library. Harry was lounging in the dorm with Ron, reading Quidditch magazines and playing Exploding Snap. Neville had made a nightly appearance to their dorm to hang out which was fine, but Harry and even Ron started to notice some things that were a bit strange.

"I cannot wait until the Quidditch game next weekend. It seems like forever since we've seen one. Too bad we can't play on the teams," Ron mused as he closed his Quidditch Magazine and tossed it on the coffee table.

Harry grinned. "Yeah, but I'm sure playing Quidditch wouldn't be the same without me," he teased.

Ron threw a pillow at him and laughed. A knock interrupted them. Harry reached for his cloak and readied it to cover himself while Ron got up to see who was at the door. Ron greeted the person and then stepped aside as Neville came in carrying some bags from Honeydukes. The first Hogsmeade weekend had been the weekend before and Harry had been unable to go of course. Neville grinned at Harry in a way that made Harry a bit uncomfortable.

"Hey, mate, what did you get?" Harry asked as he sat up, making space for Neville at the end of the couch. Neville chose to sit closer to him, leaving the end seat open. Harry frowned slightly and glanced over at Ron who lifted one eyebrow.

"Well, I knew that you wouldn't be able to go to Honeydukes so I picked up some extra stuff for you and thought I'd bring them by," he replied. He took out several things that Harry loved. Draco hadn't gone that day either so Harry knew that he'd appreciate this anyway.

Harry took them from him. "Wow, thank you. This is great," Harry said as he opened one of the boxes and took out a chocolate. He bit into it, savoring the flavor. He licked his lips and then another knock sounded at their door. Harry handed the chocolates to Neville and got under his cloak. Ron went over and opened the door. Seamus stepped in.

"Ron, we need your opinion on some Quidditch related stuff. Come down to our room for a minute," Seamus said as he gestured in the general direction of his and Blaise's room.

"Nah, mate, I'm hanging out with Neville. I'll come by later," Ron insisted.

"It won't take long. We're taking bets," Seamus said.

Ron frowned and glanced back to where Harry was sitting. He sighed and nodded. "I'll be back Nev," he said as he followed Seamus out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Harry felt is stomach flutter. He didn't want to be alone with Neville right now. He took a deep breath and came out from underneath. He laughed uncomfortably.

"Seamus has a gambling problem," Harry said as he took the chocolate back from Neville and bit into another piece. Neville had turned and was facing him a bit more.

"Where's Malfoy tonight?" he asked.

"Um, he and Hermione are working on their Ancient Runes project. It's sucking up a lot of his time," Harry said with a shrug. The truth was, he missed spending uninterrupted time with Draco, but he knew that his schooling was important to him, not to mention him doing well was part of his probation.

Neville nodded. He laughed and reached out, brushing his finger across Harry's lips. Harry's eyes widened and he jerked back. Neville blushed and brought his hand back. "Sorry, you just had chocolate on your lip," he said quietly.

"Right, of course," Harry said uncomfortably.

Neville sighed and looked away from him for a moment. "Harry, I need to ask you something," he said after awhile.

Harry felt his heart start pounding. "What's that?" he asked quietly.

"Did you always know that you were gay?" he asked.

Harry's eyes widened. "Um…. to be honest, um…. I'm thinking I'm only gay for Draco," he said with an uncomfortable laugh.

Neville looked over at him with a lifted brow. "You can't just be gay for one person," he replied.

Harry shrugged. "I don't look at anyone else in the way I look at Draco so…." he trailed off.

"But why him? I mean, you're Harry 'freaking' Potter. You could have anyone in the world and yet you chose him?" Neville asked.

Harry crossed his arms and glared at him. "I don't need to explain my choices to anyone. I chose Draco because that's who I fell for. My soul reached out to him. I can't imagine that same feeling for anyone else," he replied.

"Can't or won't?" he asked as he stood up off the couch and looked down at him.

Harry's eyebrows lifted considerably. He stood up as well, realizing how much shorter he was than Neville. "Nev, you're a great friend, but I promise you, I'm not ever going to see you as anything else than my friend," Harry told him.

Neville blushed deeply and then snorted. "I don't think that way about you. What gave you that idea?" he questioned before he turned and left Harry standing there looking dumbfounded.

Ron came in as soon as Neville left. He looked at Harry in confusion. "What got him so upset?"

"I told him that I'd never think of him as more than a friend and he told me that he didn't think that way about me…." Harry shook his head and sat back down.

"Um, okay start from the beginning," Ron asked in confusion.

"After you left, he wiped chocolate off of my lips and then he asked me if I'd always known that I was gay. I told him that I think I was only that way for Draco since I didn't look at anyone else the way I look at Draco. Then he asked why I chose him when I could have anyone," he replied.

"Based on that and the way he acts towards you, I can see why you'd assume that he had a thing for you," Ron pointed out.

"I know. I just, it's weird, you know? I thought I liked girls and then things just fell into place with Draco and I realized that I liked him and then it was like anyone else, girl or guy, couldn't compare. I honestly think that I'm only this way for Draco," Harry explained with a laugh.

Ron chuckled. "Well, I'm learning that I kind of like the bloke. He's pretty decent and he obviously adores you," Ron replied. He made a face at using a word that his mother or Hermione would use.

Harry laughed. They sat in companionable silence, eating chocolates and continuing what they had been doing before Neville came by. It was nearing curfew and bedtime and Harry was starting to worry about where Draco was.

"He should be back by now," Harry commented as he slipped into his pajamas.

"You know Hermione, she'll wait 'til the last minute to study before she'll head back. I imagine that Malfoy is the same way," Ron pointed out.

Harry nodded, but felt his stomach turning. Something wasn't right. Draco should have been back by now. It was then that there was a knock on the door. Harry threw his cloak on and waited as Ron gave him a questioning look before opening the door. It was Hermione and she looked a bit disheveled.

Ron closed the door. "What is the matter?" he asked in concern, gripping her shoulders. Harry threw his cloak off of him and walked over to her.

"Sorry," she said between breaths, "I just ran all the way from the hospital wing. Draco's there," she said looking apologetically at Harry.

Harry's eyes widened and his stomach dropped. "Is he alright?" he asked his voice cracking.

She nodded. "He'll be fine, but he's unconscious and I knew I had to tell you," she said.

Harry rushed over to his and Ron's wardrobe and dug through it grabbing his shoes. He slipped them on and grabbed his cloak. He didn't even wait for Ron or Hermione to lead him out. He started down the hallway with one thing on his mind.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: I probably should have kept this chapter with 25, but oh well. Enjoy this chapter!**

 _Earlier that evening_

Draco and Hermione were elbow deep in research for their project. They were pouring over the books that were opened in front of them, scribbling notes, exchanging ideas, and challenging each other's answers. They were so close to finishing the grueling project that had taken Draco away from some much needed Harry time. He sighed at one point and leaned back, rubbing his eyes.

"I miss life before this project," he commented.

Hermione giggled and nodded. "I'm usually so into stuff like this, but this is definitely taking its toll. I'm actually beginning to miss listening to Ron go on about Quidditch and jokes," she replied.

Draco smiled. "You know what I miss," he replied. Hermione nodded and gave him an understanding look. She waved her wand and leaned forward.

"How badly do you want Harry to be out in the open?" she asked.

Draco rubbed his face and leaned forward as well. "More than I could ever tell him. I think I would feel less disconnected from him on nights like this, if we were able to spend time openly together throughout the day. The only time I see him is first thing in the morning and a few stolen, secret moments throughout the day. I wish it was easier for him," he replied sadly.

"As you know, Harry is very stubborn. He won't budge no matter how hard you push," Hermione said.

Draco snorted. "That's why I don't. I just count down the days until Hogwarts is done because at least then we'll be together more often, at least in private anyway. I got so used to having him all to myself when he was at the chateau with me. At first, coming back here, it was fine, but it's starting to wear on me," he responded with a shrug.

Hermione reached tentatively across the table and squeezed his hand in support. "He'll come around sooner than that, I'm sure," she assured him.

Draco smiled slightly at her and nodded. "I hope so," he cleared his throat and sat up a bit straighter. Hermione blushed and released his hand before they went back to their work.

It was nearly curfew before they started putting their books and notes away. Draco was beat and couldn't wait to see Harry even if it was just for a few moments before they went to sleep. He needed to feel connected to him again.

"I'm going to put these books away and then I'll be out in a bit. Do you want to start heading back?" she asked.

Draco shook his head. "I'll wait for you in the corridor," Draco said as he stood. Hermione nodded and headed to put their last few books away. It was then that Draco noticed that they hadn't been the only ones in the library. He saw Evan, Jesse, and Patrick sitting on the opposite side of the library. He scolded himself for not noticing them before. Luckily for him, they hadn't seen him getting ready to leave.

Draco stepped out into the corridor and waited just a bit away from the door. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He was bone tired and he missed Harry deeply. His mind was preoccupied and he would later scold himself for not staying aware of his surroundings.

"All alone, Malfoy?" Evan taunted as he made his presence known.

Draco snapped his eyes open and looked over at him. He pushed his fear down, hoping that Evan was just going to cut him with his words and nothing else. Draco noticed that he was alone. "No. I'm waiting for Granger," he replied. He straightened his shoulders.

Evan smirked. "She's going to be busy for a moment," he replied. Draco didn't like the sound of that. "I'm surprised that she would have let you come out here alone. You seem to be constantly surrounded by people who have forgotten who you truly are," he sneered.

Draco lifted his eyebrow at him. His wand hand was twitching, but he had to keep things calm. He didn't need this to escalate because he would be trapped. "Look, I don't know what your problem is with me other than the fact that I was a Death Eater. I'm not the only one and I don't see why you've made me your number one target. Either way, I'm not going to fight you or encourage you to continue this. The war is over. Those who were served a punishment have been served. I was tried and proven innocent. It's time for you to find something else to worry about," Draco replied diplomatically.

Evan stopped in front of Draco as he had talked. His glare became sharper and he shoved Draco. Draco staggered back, but didn't fall. He felt his careful control slipping.

"You were proven innocent because Harry 'Fucking' Potter testified for you! You are just as guilty as the rest of them and I don't know what you did to make Potter save you from Azkaban, but I'm sure that it was less than legal! You are scum and you should be suffering in Azkaban," Evan spit out, shoving Draco towards the wall. Draco slammed into it and Evan had his arm placed over Draco's chest and shoulders. Draco's arms stiffened and he dropped his wand. He looked afraid. "What are you going to do now, Malfoy? No wand. No friends to help you. Your family destroyed so many of us. You don't deserve to walk amongst us anymore," Evan bit out.

Draco gulped. "Is that what your problem is? My family supposedly ruined yours? Get over yourself. My _father_ is the one who would have ruined your family. Not me. Not my mother. Everything that I did was to protect her and in some part my father, but they were tried just as I was. He's in Azkaban so you have your Malfoy in jail. Harassing me just makes you the arsehole, not me. Now, please, back the fuck off," Draco said in a strong voice feeling strength that he shouldn't be feeling for how scared he was.

Evan's eyes widened. He stared at Draco for several moments before his eyes narrowed into a glare. He pushed Draco hard, causing Draco to smack the back of his head into the wall. Draco blinked a few times before Evan shoved off him. "This isn't over, Malfoy. You've just made your life worse," he promised. Draco stared back at him in a daze.

Evan started to walk away and Draco took that moment to pick up his wand, although he was quite dizzy. He looked up just in time to see Evan whirl around to fling a spell at him. It hit him square in the chest, sending him backwards against the wall, hitting his head again. He slid down the wall seeing stars. He couldn't even raise his broken hand to put up a shield before Evan was on him, picking him up by his robes. Draco went to block the punch that Evan swung at him, but it was too slow of a reaction and it connected with his jaw. Draco was pretty sure he heard a crack.

"What in the world?" someone cried out. Evan was bringing his fist back to punch Draco again, but the last thing Draco saw before passing out was a jet of bright light flying across from the library and slamming into Evan's chest sending him flying backwards.

Hermione rushed out over to Draco and kept her wand trained on Evan and a glare firmly planted on Jesse and Patrick. "This is what you want to be around?" she demanded as she pointed her wand in Evan's direction. "What is his problem with Draco?" she demanded.

Jesse and Patrick shrugged. "He won't tell us much other than that his brother got involved with some Death Eaters," Jesse replied.

"So you follow him blindly?" she demanded.

They shrugged again. "We didn't know that he would take it this far," Patrick replied.

"He broke his hand and you didn't think he'd take it this far?" she cried.

The two boys looked frightened. She glared at them and shook her head. She cast a quick levitating charm on Draco and lifted him carefully off the ground. She stormed down the corridor and made her way to the hospital wing as quickly as she could. When she arrived, Madam Pomfrey was just getting ready to settle in for the night. She took one look at how frantic Hermione looked and the unconscious boy floating behind her and instantly stepped in. She settled Draco on the bed and started running diagnostics on him. She winced when she looked at the cut on the back of his head, but went to work healing him.

"What happened?" she asked.

"A sixth year boy decided to take things a step further," she replied in an angry tone.

Madam Pomfrey looked over at her. "The one who broke his hand?" she asked. Hermione looked at her in surprise. She gave her a solemn look. "I knew that Mister Malfoy wasn't telling me the truth. I'll let Headmistress McGonagall know that he's here. He'll be fine Miss Granger. Thank you for bringing him here," she assured her.

Hermione nodded and left quickly. She had to get to Harry and let him know. He'd probably be pretty mad at her for leaving Draco alone, but she didn't care.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Mid-Week chapter for you all. Enjoy!**

 _Present Time_

Harry made his way through the common room without anyone noticing him passing by. Hermione and Ron had caught up to him and we're looking apologetically at some people who happened to glance at them. Harry's heart was racing. Even though Hermione had said he was going to be fine, he wouldn't believe it until he saw for himself.

Once he was out of their tower, he started running to the hospital wing. Hermione and Ron followed. Surprisingly, they didn't come across anyone as they made their way there. Harry skidded to a stop at the doors and burst through them. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall looked over at the doors in surprise. Madam Pomfrey looked confused since she couldn't see Harry and looked out into the hallway to see how the doors had slammed open. Professor McGonagall had a knowing look on her face as she knew who would be slamming into the room invisibly.

"Well, that's odd," Madam Pomfrey said as she walked over to the doors. She pushed them open and peeked out. She saw Hermione and Ron coming down the hall towards her. It only increased her confusion. They came in looking apologetic.

"Did you just slam the doors open?" she asked them. Ron and Hermione looked at each other.

"Come in, come in," Professor McGonagall said gesturing towards them. Harry was already at Draco's bedside. He shed his cloak and tossed it on the chair. Draco's cheek was bruised and swollen. His eyes were closed, but he was breathing normally.

Madam Pomfrey was still shaking her head and rounded the corner into Draco's area. She gasped when she saw Harry. He was sitting next to Draco, his hand clasped in one of his. He was brushing the blond hair off his forehead. "Mister Potter?" she asked in disbelief.

"Will he be alright?" he asked quietly.

She looked from Professor McGonagall, to Hermione, to Ron, to Harry and Draco and back again. McGonagall nodded to her. She shook off her surprise and remembered Harry's question. "Yes, he will. He just has quite the bump and his jaw will need to be healed, but I'm already working on that. He'll stay the night and should be able to leave tomorrow."

"What happened?" Harry asked, not taking his eyes off of Draco.

"Yes, I would like to know what happened as well," Professor McGonagall agreed.

Hermione sighed. "Draco and I were in the library working on our Ancient Ruins project. We were getting ready to leave and I had a few more books to put away. Draco said that he'd wait for me in the corridor. I thought that we were the only ones left, but I was wrong. As I was putting the books away, Jesse and Patrick Andrews walked over to me and were asking me a question about the project. I didn't think anything of it until I noticed that Evan Roberts wasn't with them and he always was. That's when I knew something was up. I ran out into the corridor and saw Draco on the ground with Evan above him. I stunned Evan and immediately went to Draco's side. Evan is also the one who broke Draco's hand," Hermione explained.

Professor McGonagall gasped. "Why didn't Draco tell me about this? Why didn't he defend himself?" she demanded.

Harry turned then and glared at her. "He didn't want to tell you because he figured it wouldn't escalate past the hand thing. He thought he could handle it. He didn't fight back because he can't!" Harry exclaimed.

Professor McGonagall gave him an apologetic look. "What do you mean he can't?" Ron asked in confusion.

"As part of the terms of his probation he can't do anything against someone else," Professor McGonagall replied.

Ron narrowed his gaze and Hermione looked angry about this. "Even if he's defending himself?" she demanded.

"Even defending himself because it could easily be turned around that he started it and the Wizengamot doesn't need any more reason than that to send Draco to Azkaban," Harry replied. He turned back to facing Draco. His stomach hurt and his heart hurt. He was not going to stand for this. He was going to give Evan a warning and he was going to come out of hiding. He wouldn't allow Draco to stand alone anymore.

"Well, that's just ridiculous," Hermione fumed.

"I will reprimand Mister Roberts and his two friends in the morning. I will also contact Missus Malfoy to let her know that Draco is here. Mister Potter, please remind Mister Malfoy that he needs to tell me these things. I can't help him otherwise," she reminded him. Harry nodded.

Professor McGonagall started to leave. "Wait!" Madam Pomfrey called out. She stopped and gave her a questioning look. "Why aren't you surprised to see Mister Potter?" she asked.

"He's been coming to Hogwarts since the start of term," McGonagall replied.

Madam Pomfrey lifted her brows in surprise. "But he was hiding away…" she trailed off.

"He's been here under invisibility. He wasn't ready to deal with the aftermath of the war, so he decided to stay hidden here at Hogwarts and continue his studies. "

Madam Pomfrey worked this over in her mind. She turned to look at Harry and saw the way he was treating Draco. She gasped. "His boyfriend is…." she stopped as the other three nodded. She smiled as she walked over to Harry and patted his shoulder. "He will be alright, Mister Potter," she assured him. He nodded his thanks, but wouldn't look away.

"Miss Granger, Mister Weasley, I suggest you head on back to your tower. Mister Potter, you may stay a bit longer, but not all night. You can see Mister Malfoy in the morning," Professor McGonagall directed. Harry turned to protest, but she gave him a quelling look. He sighed and nodded. McGonagall nodded again and started for the door once more. She stopped and turned. "Poppy, please keep what you know about Harry a secret," she reminded her. Madam Pomfrey nodded.

McGonagall left and Ron and Hermione said their goodbyes to Harry before they too left. Madam Pomfrey checked Draco over once more and then retired to her quarters. Harry and Draco were alone. He leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Draco's forehead. "I am so sorry that this happened to you. It shouldn't have and it won't happen to you again. I'm going to come out of hiding. I don't know if that will make things better, but I can't stand by and let you suffer alone. I love you and I am going to tell the world that. I'll be back first thing in the morning," he whispered, promised. He kissed him gently on the lips before he stood and grabbed his cloak.

He quietly left the hospital wing and made his way to the Ravenclaw tower. He wasn't sure if the Ravenclaw prefect was going to be coming back soon, but he'd wait. He wasn't going to let Evan get away with this.

He arrived at the tower and settled in by the portrait. Luckily, he didn't have to wait long before the portrait was opening and a boy and a girl were walking out, giggling. Harry slipped in before the portrait could close. He made his way to the boys' dormitory and looked at the nameplates as he walked by. He found Evan's room and opened the door. It was dark. He cast a quick silencing spell and made his way to the first bed. He looked down and saw that it was Jesse. He moved away and went to the next bed. This one had Patrick in it. The next bed had another Ravenclaw sixth year and that left only one bed and he looked in and saw Evan. He narrowed his gaze and it took lots of will power to not curse him right then. He took a deep breath. He wasn't there to curse. He was there to send a warning.

Harry went on the other side of his bed, the side he wasn't facing and cast the body bind spell on him. He leaned forward so that his mouth was close to Evan's ear. He hadn't woken yet, but Harry made that happen when he cast a lumos and poked him hard in the cheek. Evan's eyes flew open and then closed quickly from the blinding light. He tried to move, but realized he was bound. He started to cry out, but Harry had silenced him.

He pressed his wand against his cheek and Evan stopped squirming. "Listen to me now and listen well. You will leave Draco alone. You will never harm him again. If you do, you will sincerely, sincerely regret it. Headmistress McGonagall knows what you did and her punishment will pale in comparison to what I will do to you if you bother Draco again."

Harry lifted the bind partially and shoved his wand into Evan's cheek again. He nodded his agreement. Harry turned his wand off, wrapped his cloak around him, and left Evan behind. He flicked his wand at him, cancelling the spell as he shut the door behind him. He heard Evan cry out, but wasn't worried that he'd come after him. He left the common room and made his way back to his own tower. He felt a little better, but he was still worried about Draco and he could feel his anxiety increasing as he thought about coming out, but he knew that he had to. He had to do this for them.

He arrived at their tower and went into the dorm. Ron was sitting up on his bed. He could see the emotion all over Harry's face and knew that he had done something. "What did you do?" he asked. Harry groaned and threw his cloak into the wardrobe. He tossed his shoes into the wardrobe and sat down on his bed, facing Ron.

"I gave Evan a warning," Harry replied, running his hand through his hair.

Ron sat up straighter. "Are you serious? Did he know it was you?"

Harry shook his head. "He couldn't move and he couldn't see me. I couldn't just sit by and let him get away with it. You can't hurt the people I love and get away with it," he responded heatedly.

Ron's eyebrows lifted. "You love him?" he asked in surprise.

Harry lifted a brow at him as if it were completely obvious that he did. "Yes."

"That's… great, mate. Um, aren't you worried though about Evan saying something when McGonagall talks to him tomorrow?"

"I don't care. He can tell her and she'll know it was me, but I had to," Harry replied sharply.

Ron brought his hands up in a pacifying gesture. "I'm not the enemy here," he muttered.

Harry groaned and threw himself back on his bed. "I know, I'm sorry. I just, I'm worried about Draco and I decided that I can't stay in hiding anymore. If I want to keep him safe, I have to be out there for people to see. There are other reasons I want to be done hiding out, but that's the biggest reason," Harry apologized.

"I'll support you no matter what," Ron assured him.

"Thanks, mate," he replied tiredly.

They were silent then and soon Ron was distinguishing the lights. Harry was tired, but he couldn't turn off his mind. He stared up at his canopy, worrying about Draco. It was a long time before he fell asleep and even when he did, he was restless and never fully slept.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: A little later than usual, but here is another chapter :) We get to learn a bit more about Evan's problem and see how Draco is doing. Some fluffy stuff in this chapter too. Enjoy! Thanks as always for the adds and reviews!**

Draco felt like he had taken a bludger to the head. He tried to move his jaw, but found that it was sorer than his head. He wondered briefly what had happened to him and then remembered Evan's punch. He sighed and turned to his left. He was alone and it looked like it was very early morning. He wondered where Harry might be and if he knew what had happened to him. He assumed that he did, but if he did know, why wasn't he there right now? Draco felt his stomach churn at that thought and he squinted his eyes shut as he felt tears coming on. He cried silently. Of course, Harry wouldn't be there. He was in hiding. He wasn't going to come there. Draco fell asleep with that bitter thought in his mind.

A couple of hours later, Draco woke again and opened his eyes slowly. His head hurt less than before and he could somewhat move his jaw. The room was a bit brighter, but not much. He looked across from him and saw the man that he loved, curled up on the chair with his head resting on his arm. Draco stared at him as he realized that he wasn't hidden under his cloak. Anyone could walk in and see him. He didn't understand.

As if sensing that he was being watched, Harry sat up and looked over at Draco. He grinned and moved the chair closer. He leaned forward, resting his head on his arms as he came within inches of Draco. "Hey," he whispered.

Draco couldn't help, but smile even though he was very confused and still had a feeling of hurt in relation to Harry. He wasn't sure what it was from, but he did feel hurt. "Hey," he whispered back.

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked. He reached out and gently ran his fingers down Draco's cheek, carefully avoiding his bruised jaw.

"Not as in much pain now. Aren't you afraid of getting caught?" he asked.

Harry shook his head. "I don't care," he replied.

Draco's eyes widened in response, but it was quickly followed by a wince as the gesture made his head hurt more. Harry sat up and started to fuss over him, but Draco just shook his head and closed his eyes, waiting for the dizziness to subside. "Why don't you care?" he asked after a few moments.

Harry was back and staring nervously at him. Draco could clearly see that he was worried. "Because I'm not going to stay in hiding anymore. I don't know if that will help, but this was the last straw. I should have come out the second he started giving you shit. I'm so sorry, Draco," Harry replied. He sounded tortured and Draco couldn't help, but believe him. Harry would never intentionally hurt him.

"Hey, this isn't your fault. Somewhere along the way, Evan Roberts was wronged by some Death Eaters, probably my father. I sent my mother an owl when we were talking about Roberts weeks ago. She didn't recognize the surname and told me that she'd look into it, but she never said anything more so I'm guessing she didn't find anything out about him. He's just pissed about something that somewhat relates to me," he replied.

"Either way, you're not going to deal with this alone anymore. I'm going to be by your side. Besides, I gave Roberts a warning last night and I'm hoping that he'll listen," Harry explained.

Draco gave him a grateful look, but it soon turned to worry. "Harry, don't come out of hiding just because of this. I don't want you to feel like your hand has been forced. It's supposed to be your own decision."

Harry shook his head. "No. You picked me up when I fell apart and have been giving me so much support and understanding through my reluctance to face the public. It's high time I repay the favor," he assured him.

Draco frowned. "But at the cost of your sanity? I couldn't possibly allow that," he countered.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm perfectly sane. I've made my decision, Draco. All I want is for us to finally be us and not hide it. I can face anything as long as you're with me, but if you don't think I should than I'll wait, very reluctantly," he said in a teasing tone.

Draco smiled slightly and closed his eyes. The hurt that he had been feeling subsided. "Okay, but only if you tell me right away when you're feeling overwhelmed. I'll whisk you away and sort you out," he replied.

Harry grinned and leaned forward and kissed Draco gently. He leaned back and looked at him apologetically again. "I'm so sorry, love," he whispered.

Draco felt his stomach flutter at the term of endearment. "Don't be," he whispered back. Harry sighed and moved forward again to kiss him. They broke apart and both closed their eyes in contentment. They stayed that way for several moments, fingers linked together. They both startled at the sound of someone gasping next to them. Harry turned and saw Narcissa standing there looking at her son with worry.

"Oh, Draco," she cried as she came over to the other side. Harry sat up in his seat and Draco turned to look at his mother in surprise. She fussed over him, more so than Harry had. "I can't believe this happened to you. How could this happen to you?" she demanded. She wasn't looking at Harry, but he could hear the accusation in her tone. He bristled at this and felt worse than he already did.

Draco picked up on it instantly and reached out to calm her. "Mother, I was in the library working on a project with Hermione. Harry wasn't even there. I told Hermione that I'd go wait in the corridor for her. This is my fault," Draco explained.

Narcissa and Harry both made affronted sounds. "It is not your fault that this boy is targeting you just because of something your father probably did!"

Draco sighed. "I know mother, I just meant that I put myself in a vulnerable position," he replied tiredly.

"You shouldn't have to be put in that position! Harry, I thought that you would keep my son safe! Of all the people that he could fall in love with, you were the one that I knew would keep him safe. Apparently I was wrong," she cried angrily.

Harry's eyes widened and he stood up to face her. "I will keep him safe. I wasn't there for this, but I will be from now on," he promised.

She rolled her eyes and huffed. "You can't keep someone safe if you're invisible," she replied darkly.

"Mother, please. Harry will keep me safe. I feel the safest when I'm with him. Please, don't fight with him about this," Draco begged.

"I'm not going to be invisible much longer. I plan on coming out today. I should have done it a long time ago, and then maybe I could have prevented this from happening," Harry told her. He sank down into the seat again and rested his face in his hands.

Narcissa looked down at him and could see how torn up he was about it. She looked over at Draco who was looking at Harry with worry. She sighed and sat down in the chair that was on Draco's other side. "I'm sorry, Harry. I received Minerva's letter last night and was awake all night with worry. I thought that he would be safe here. I mean, I figured there would be some people who weren't pleased, but not this much. I looked into his name some more and all I've found is that his brother was recruited by Lucius and a couple of other high level Death Eaters. I don't recognize the name so I'm unsure of what happened to him," she apologized.

"Could you ask father?" Draco asked quietly.

Narcissa nodded. "Yes, I suppose I can. I'll be visiting him in a couple of weeks, with an auror escort of course." She frowned at the thought.

"Narcissa, I'm sorry," Harry told her.

She looked over at him and smiled. "Don't. I understand. I know that you love my son very much and that you would never let anything happen to him if you had any control over it. I think you are very brave for coming out of hiding for him. I just hope that you are doing the right thing for you at this time," she replied.

Harry frowned in thought. "I'm not sure if it's completely the right time, but I don't think there will ever be a truly right time."

She nodded and they sat in companionable silence. Draco looked between the two with a smile and drifted off to sleep. He was oddly excited to see what would happen when Harry walked into Hogwarts again, visible of course.

 **XXXX**

Later that day, just after lunch time, Draco was being released from the hospital. He still had a bruise on his face, but his head felt better and his jaw didn't hurt nearly as much. Narcissa had left at lunch and promised to let Draco know what his father had said. Ron and Hermione escorted Draco back to the tower while Harry met with McGonagall.

"Mister Potter, I'm glad you're here. It saves me a trip from trying to find you," McGonagall said in greeting.

Harry lifted an eyebrow and took a seat across from her desk. "Why were you looking for me?"

She looked down at him over her glasses and frowned severely. "I spoke with Mister Roberts today. He has detention for the next month, but he told me a very interesting tale that I wondered if you might be able to explain it more than he could," she replied.

Harry frowned and shifted in his seat. He knew that Evan would probably tell her about what he said to him, but knowing and experiencing were very different. "What did he say?"

"He told me that someone came to his room and he couldn't see them and he couldn't move. They warned him to leave Mister Malfoy alone or else suffer the consequences," she replied.

Harry frowned slightly. It sounded harsher coming from her. "Well, that's very interesting," he replied as he glanced away and picked at an invisible string on his pants.

"Mister Potter, I know that you were angry and that someone that you love was hurt badly, but you can't threaten people like that. Let the people who can actually do something, do something. As your headmistress, you must be given a proper punishment, but as someone who cares about you, I can't disagree with your threat. Mister Roberts is rather upset about it and I believe he is afraid enough that he won't bother Draco again, but I don't think we've seen the end of his poor behavior towards Draco. He won't tell me why he has a problem with him other than the fact that he's a Death Eater, but I agree with you, there is more to it than just that," she explained.

Harry nodded. "I'm sorry, Professor, but there was so little I could do. I had to do something. I'm going to do something more," he said.

She looked at him in alarm. "Harry, we had an agreement about you being here…" she trailed off when Harry shook his head.

"Not in that way. I'm coming out of hiding. I want to be present and be there for Draco. He was there for me when no one else was able to be. I'm going to do that for him too," he replied.

Her eyes widened and she smiled slightly. "That will make things much easier on my end. Professor Reid has been questioning if our wards are able to detect people who are invisible. I thought he was crazy for a moment, but I realized that he must have sensed that you were in his class," she said with a quiet chuckle.

Harry laughed. "He did pick up on me that first day, somehow. I'd like to be there at dinner tonight. Will that be alright?"

She nodded and then looked at him in concern. "Are you sure you're ready?"

He shrugged. "I won't know unless I try. I can also become a recluse again once Hogwarts is done," he joked.

She nodded again. "Very well, then. You have one week of detention for threatening Mister Roberts. I'm sure Hagrid will be more than accepting of your assistance," she said with a smile.

Harry sighed. Detention with Hagrid was easy. McGonagall was taking it easy on him and he appreciated that greatly. "Thank you," he said before he stood and started for the door.

"Are you planning a speech?" she asked before he walked out.

Harry rubbed his face and nodded. "Probably best," he said in response. She nodded in agreement and went back to her paperwork.

Harry placed his cloak on and started down the spiraling stair case. He hoped that Draco was in their room. He wanted to check in with him and see how he was and talk to him about his plan for the night.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: A continuation of the last chapter, obviously :). This is another fluffy chapter and we get to see a bit of jealous Draco. Enjoy!**

Draco settled in on the couch while Hermione fussed over him, preparing some tea and biscuits. He tried to insist that she didn't need to, but she wouldn't listen. "I feel awful for not realizing what was happening. Please, just let me make up for it now," she begged for the third time.

Draco sighed. "Alright, but it doesn't change how I feel about the whole thing," he reminded her. He didn't blame her. He should have known something would happen to him. Rule number one, never be alone.

She hung out in the sitting area with him even though Ron wasn't there. Ron had been busy talking Quidditch strategies with some Gryffindors for the upcoming Quidditch game.

Around three, a quiet knock sounded at the door. Hermione got up and opened it, but saw no one. She was about to shut it when she realized it was probably Harry. She stepped to the side and waited a few seconds before she closed the door again. Once it was secured, Harry was out from under his cloak and making his way to Draco without even saying hello to Hermione. She frowned after him, but once she saw the look that Draco was giving Harry, she was much less offended.

She watched them thoughtfully as Harry greeted him, kissing him carefully. He talked to him in whispered words that she couldn't hear, but as she watched them she wondered just how deep their connection went. They seemed much more deeply connected than she previously thought. Harry and Draco were obviously in love, but there was so much more than that between them. It made her wonder about bonds that people could have and what kind of bond that Harry and Draco would have.

She walked over to them and sat down in a chair. Draco finally acknowledged that she was there. "Hermione has been taking good care of me," he said in a sweet voice. Hermione rolled her eyes, but laughed. Harry turned to look at her and smiled.

"I appreciate that, thank you," he said.

She frowned. "Harry, I'm sorry I wasn't there," she said realizing that she hadn't actually apologized to him for breaking his unspoken request.

Harry shrugged and looked over at Draco again. "It's not your fault," he said quietly. She watched them for several moments and was soon feeling a bit uncomfortable with the way he was staring so much at Draco. Draco started to look the same.

"What's the matter?" he asked, breaking Harry out of his thoughts.

Harry shook his head. "Sorry, I was just thinking. Um, so I talked with McGonagall today and I'm going to be at dinner tonight," he apologized, looking away from Draco.

Hermione lifted her brow. "You're always at dinner. You hang out there while we eat and come back and eat here. How is that different?"

"Tonight? So soon?" he asked in surprise.

Harry nodded. "I'm not waiting anymore. The question is, do you want me to tell them you're the boyfriend I was referring to?"

Hermione looked between the two in confusion. "Hold on, what are you talking about, Harry?" she asked.

"I'm not going to be invisible anymore," he replied as he looked over at her. Her eyes widened considerably.

"Because of what happened last night?" she asked quietly.

Harry sighed. "Because of a lot of things. What do you want me to say, Draco?"

Draco frowned as he thought about it. He knew that Harry would support his choice either way, but Harry was being quite intense and it made him a bit nervous. He hadn't seen him wound up this much since he came to see him over the summer. "Let's just keep me out of it, okay? I already have a target on me. I don't want to throw being Harry Potter's boyfriend into the mix as well," he replied.

Harry sighed and sat back. He nodded reluctantly. "Alright, I understand," he said quietly.

"Are you mad?" Draco asked in concern.

Harry shook his head. "No, I'm just focused on what the next step is. I'm going to head down to Hogsmeade and come up that way. I have to think about what I'm going to say and I need some air anyway. I'll see you later, okay?" he said. He leaned forward and kissed Draco tenderly before he stood and put his cloak on. Hermione stood and opened the door for him. She closed it after he left and looked over at Draco in concern.

"He's acting strange," she commented as she sat down again. Draco nodded and frowned.

"He hasn't been that wound up since he came to my house this summer," he replied quietly.

"He'll be okay. He's just been cooped up and he has a hard time sorting through his emotions when that happens. He'll be fine once he returns for dinner," Hermione assured him.

Draco nodded and leaned back on the couch. He closed his eyes as he pushed away his concern for Harry and honed in on the way he felt when Harry came into the room. It had felt like everything around him disappeared and all that was there was Harry. His look had been intense and his whispered words of affection had been thoughtful and appreciated, but Draco couldn't shake the tingle that he felt at his touch and the way his green eyes bored into his own. He didn't know what had changed since the hospital wing, but he felt unbelievably connected to him and he wondered briefly what that meant for them.

He spent the afternoon sleeping and near dinner time, Hermione woke him. He groaned, but got up and showered and dressed in clean clothes. Hermione had filled in Ron as to what Harry had planned for that night which led them to sticking close to Draco and making sure that he was in good company.

They walked down to dinner in silence. Each of them experiencing different levels of anxiety. None of them knew how it would play out and whether or not Harry was ready for it or not.

Once they arrived at the Great Hall, Draco sat next to Hermione and Ron was on her other side. They looked up at the professors' table anxiously. Professor McGonagall looked like her usual self, but they could see apprehension in her eyes. The food was served and the three went through the motions of getting food. Draco looked up at one point and caught Neville staring at him. He gave him a questioning look, but Neville simply blushed and looked away.

Fifteen minutes later, the Great Hall doors opened and as the three looked up, the hall erupted in gasps and cheers. Harry was there. Draco's breath caught as he looked him over. He looked less intense and better than he had before. He looked amazing and he found himself wanting to drag him away and have his way with him, injured face or not.

Harry walked up to the table and met each professor's startled expressions. Hagrid was overjoyed at seeing him, of course as were some of the other teachers that Harry had spent more time around. Callum Reid gave him an assessing look, but didn't acknowledge him. Professor McGonagall smiled at him and gestured towards the podium that she gave her speeches on. Harry felt his stomach flip flop as he stepped up, remembering the many times that Dumbledore had stood on that very podium.

Harry scanned the Great Hall and saw mostly encouraging looks. He came across Evan, Jesse, and Patrick and all three looked paler than they should. Finally, his eyes settled on his friends and Draco. He wanted to smile broadly because Draco looked amazing, but he knew he couldn't draw attention to him that way so he settled for a friendly smile. Luckily for them both, sitting by Ron and Hermione allowed the smile to not be interpreted as one for Draco.

Harry cast a sonorus charm and began to speak. "Hello, I'm guessing that many of you are surprised to see me," he began. Mostly everyone nodded. Harry smiled slightly. "Well, I had intended to stay out of the spotlight for longer, but I decided that it was time for me to just face things like the adult that I am and step back into reality. I can't lie to you and say that I'm not scared. I hate the press and I hate attention. I always have. I've been in the spotlight since I was eleven years old, sooner actually, but that's when I became aware of it. I don't want your praise or thanks for doing what I had to do. I was an integral part to Voldemort's demise, but I wasn't the only one. I had help. Lots of help. Help from people that you would never expect. I was lucky. I plan on finishing up Hogwarts and venturing out into the world like everyone else, but I'd like a favor. I don't necessarily deserve it, but I would appreciate everyone giving myself and my friends privacy. Ron and Hermione are too polite to ask you to bugger off," he laughed and many others did as well. "But I'm not as polite as that and I am asking for privacy. You can ask us questions, but if we tell you no comment, please accept it. I want to have a normal life. I want to be like everyone else. Thank you," Harry finished his speech and was about to cancel the charm when someone spoke up.

"What about your boyfriend? Does this mean you're not together anymore?" they asked.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "I'm sure that confession threw you all for a loop. Um, my boyfriend and I are still very much together. He's not quite ready to share the spotlight with me which I don't blame him at all," he replied.

"Not a looker, eh?" someone else said.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "Quite the opposite actually. He'll probably kill me when I tell him what I am going to say now and it's not a word that is typically used to describe a man, but handsome just doesn't cut it to describe him. He's beautiful and he's amazing. I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for him," Harry's gaze flickered over to the eighth years' table and saw Draco blushing deeply and hiding a beaming smile behind his hand. Harry smiled slightly and looked away from him.

"Thank you," he finished before he cut the spell, gave Professor McGonagall a grateful look, and stepped down, making his way to the eighth year table. He received high fives from many people along the way, a few hugs from Ginny and Luna specifically and some more manly pats from Seamus, Neville, and Dean. The Neville acknowledgement was a bit awkward, but Harry had to save face and pretended that this was the first time he had seen him. Draco watched him make his way towards them and caught the uncomfortable look that Harry made at the hug from Neville. It made Neville's awkwardness from before all the more disconcerting.

He finally made it to their end and accepted a hug from Hermione and Ron. Draco stood as well and it seemed that the entire Great Hall quieted down and all eyes turned to them. Harry extended his hand. "Malfoy," he said trying very hard not to smirk.

Draco took his hand. "Potter," he replied. They shook and then Harry sat down and Draco sat down. Immediately their feet touched underneath and their connection solidified. The Great Hall stared at them in surprise, expecting fireworks or something. It was common knowledge that he testified at their trial so it would seem that if someone bothered to testify that they didn't have a problem with the person anymore.

The Great Hall returned to normalcy and the conversations returned to discussing who his love interest was. Seamus was leaning across the table trying to ask Harry a million questions. Neville finally pushed him back and rolled his eyes at him. Harry tucked in and glanced up at Draco who was studying him. He gave him a questioning look, but Draco just shook his head once and looked away.

"So how does it feel?" Hermione asked.

Harry looked over at her and smiled. "It feels, good. I feel more grounded. We'll see how long that lasts though," Harry replied.

"It's good to see you, mate," Ron offered.

Harry grinned at him. He flicked his wand under the table and cast a silence bubble around them as well as the stasis spell. Draco looked over at him in relief to get a moment to show how pleased he was to see him sitting there.

"Beautiful you say?" he teased with a wink.

Harry blushed. "It's the only word that can remotely describe you, even then it's not enough," Harry whispered despite the silence.

Draco blushed deeply again and grinned broadly. "You can call me beautiful anytime you want," Draco replied while batting his eyelashes. Harry laughed and shook his head.

"Are you sure you want to keep it a secret that you're my one and only?" Harry asked again, wishing he would change his mind.

Draco nodded. "For now. We can pretend to be friends, right?"

Harry frowned. "It's going to be ridiculously hard, but I'll do it for you," he replied.

Draco reached across the table and squeezed his hand in thanks. His eyes flicked over to Neville who was looking in their direction. All he would be able to see was Draco eating and Harry looking around the Great Hall. "Not to ruin this moment right now, but what's Longbottom's deal? He's been looking over at me all evening and every time I look he looks quickly away," Draco asked.

Harry glanced over at him and shook his head. "I'll tell you later. Let's just say that I think you were right," Harry replied sheepishly.

Draco's gaze narrowed and he looked over at Neville again with the harsh look. He nodded once at Harry and he cancelled the spells around them. Harry and Draco talked together as well as with Hermione and Ron. Harry kept their conversations fairly generic as to not rouse suspicion that they knew exactly what he had been up to the past month and a half. He and Draco laughed at something the other said a few times so their 'friendship' seemed to be progressing well enough.

At one point, Harry looked over at the Ravenclaw table and caught Evan staring at Draco. Evan saw that he was caught and Harry simply lifted his brow in a questioning look. Evan blushed deeply and looked away. Harry wanted to smirk in satisfaction that Evan was afraid of him even though he didn't know he was the one to threaten him.

As dinner was ending, the four of them started heading out of the Great Hall and up to their tower. "Hey mate, listen, Mione and I are going to walk outside for a bit. I figured that you'd want some time to settle in, get to know our roommate and all," Ron said casually.

Harry laughed quietly. "Sure, mate. It might be easier to hex each other without risking someone else," Harry teased.

Draco gave him a sidelong glance and rolled his eyes. "I'm a mature adult now. I don't need to result to hexes to get my point across," Draco replied.

They all laughed and then stopped abruptly to exchange looks with one another. That was the first time they had acted like real friends. Ron cleared his throat and looked slightly embarrassed. Hermione just smiled. Harry and Draco exchanged pleased looks. They parted ways before heading up the stair case to the tower.

"Are the rooms nice?" Harry asked as a group of fifth year Gryffindors went by. They were all staring at Harry and Draco with wide eyes. Harry smiled politely at them and Draco gave them an assessing look. They giggled nervously before passing them completely. Harry rolled his eyes.

Draco chuckled quietly. "Yes, I'd say they're almost nicer than the Slytherin dorms," Draco replied.

"Or the Gryffindor?" Harry questioned.

"I've never seen Gryffindor in its full glory so I couldn't give you an honest answer," Draco replied remembering the only time that he had been in the Gryffindor tower. The time that he and Harry shared their first kiss. They both blushed deeply at the memory.

"The Slytherin dorms are okay, but it was too damp in there," Harry replied.

Draco stopped and looked at him. "How do you know what the Slytherin dorms look like?" he demanded.

Harry grinned. "Second year," was all he said before he continued walking up the steps. Draco went after him. As they approached their tower, he reached out and grabbed Harry's arm to stop him.

"How do you know what it's like down there?" he asked again. He acted as if this was pertinent information.

Harry lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "I'll tell you inside, I guess," he said in a confused tone. Draco frowned, but followed him inside. They walked through the common room, Draco leading since Harry had 'never been there before.' They walked into their room and Draco instantly locked and silenced the door. He shed his cloak and shoes and went into the sitting area.

Harry frowned as he followed him. "I've never seen the dorms, if that's what you're hung up on," Harry said as he walked over and sat down next to Draco. Draco had his knees pulled up and his arms wrapped around them. He was staring into the fireplace. Harry reached out and touched his hand.

"It just surprises me that you have been in there. How did you get in there?" he asked quietly.

Harry frowned again. "I'm not sure you'll like it," Harry warned.

Draco's eyes widened. "That doesn't make me feel any better," he replied quietly.

Harry sighed. "You're probably imagining far worse things. So you remember in second year when the chamber was opened?" Draco cringed and nodded. "Well, I was determined to find out if you were the one who opened it so Hermione brewed polyjuice potion and she took hair from Crabbe, Goyle, and Millicent. We knocked out Crabbe and Goyle with a sleeping potion and Ron and I turned into them. Hermione was supposed to be Millicent, but she grabbed the wrong hair so she didn't come with us. Anyway, we went in there and we asked you about it and we found out that you weren't the one," Harry explained.

Draco furrowed his brow as he tried to remember that day. It came into focus and he laughed quietly. "I remember thinking that they were acting stranger than usual, but I didn't think anything much else about it. That's very sneaky of you three," Draco replied looking relieved.

Harry laughed quietly. "Why else would I go down there?"

Draco blushed. "I don't know, maybe you were testing out the snake den for any people to snog," he said with a shrug.

Harry snorted and shook his head. "There is only one Slytherin who has ever warranted my interest enough and I'm looking at him," Harry assured him.

Draco closed his eyes and shook his head. "I swear, sometimes I feel like such a girl. I'm sitting here getting jealous about something that happened well before we were friends. Plus, I'm a damsel in distress most of the time," he said in a dramatic tone.

Harry leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the top of Draco's head. Draco looked up at him looking ashamed of himself. Harry pried his arms open and moved his knees apart so that he could press himself against Draco. Draco sighed and laid his head back on the armrest. Harry leaned forward and kissed along his still tender jaw lovingly, caressing the bruise with his tongue. Draco gasped and shifted so that he could be more fully against Harry. Harry moved up to Draco's ear and kissed him gently. "I love you, damsel in distress and all," he whispered.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Here is another chapter for this story. After this chapter there are only nine more chapters! Gah, we're nearing the end! This chapter is full of smutty goodness like that's pretty much it except for a Ron and Draco veiled threat session, but that's after the smut. Enjoy! Thank you for reviews and follows :)**

Draco sighed and turned his head so that he could capture Harry's lips in a heated kiss. It didn't take long for Draco to slide down to flat on his back and for Harry to settle over the top of him. He was careful of his jaw and didn't become too enthusiastic with his kissing. Harry slid a hand up Draco's shirt and caressed his chest and stomach. Draco arched into him at the touch. Draco slid his hands underneath Harry's shirt, pulling it over his head when they took a quick break in their kissing. Harry sat back as Draco sat up and allowed Harry to remove his shirt too. They looked between them at their jeans and made quick work of taking those off as well. They threw them to the ground and admired each other in just their pants. They had obviously seen each other's cocks, but somehow it seemed different seeing each other just in their pants.

Harry looked up and locked eyes with Draco. "I want you," he whispered. Draco nodded his agreement and stood up. He wrapped his arms around Harry's neck and pressed his body against him, kissing him hard. His jaw barely hurt anymore and he wasn't going to be careful when he wanted Harry so badly right now.

Harry responded and started pushing Draco towards their bed. Draco fell back on it once his knees hit it and slid up to the pillows. Harry knelt down on the bed, closing the hangings around them. He crawled up to Draco who was staring back at him with quickly darkening eyes. Harry settled in against his hip so that he could have better access to Draco's cock and entrance. He carefully slid Draco's boxers down his fit legs. Draco kicked them off from his feet and nearly burst at the lust that he saw in Harry's eyes as he checked him out. He felt completely on display, but surprisingly at ease. He'd wanted this for a long time and the moment was finally here.

Harry groaned as the utter beauty of Draco hit him head on. He leaned forward and kissed him hard while he wrapped his hand around Draco. Harry stifled his cry with his kiss and slid up and down Draco's shaft, enjoying the sounds that Draco was making. His own cock was dripping in need. He let go of Draco's cock and summoned his wand. He conjured lube and started to prepare Draco. Draco's whole body was flushed and he was panting as he tried to relax. He wanted Harry inside him so much it hurt. Harry wasn't sure if Draco was completely ready, but he felt fairly open so he sat up and slipped his pants off. Draco's eyes flew open and he stared at Harry as he moved to get between Draco's legs.

Draco felt his heart leap out of his chest and his stomach flop at how amazing Harry looked kneeling above him. Their eyes met and every feeling that they had for one another blazed to life between them. Harry conjured more lube and ran his hand up and down his shaft a few times although he didn't need any help as he was hard as a rock. Draco's eyes glazed over as he watched him. He had to close his eyes because Harry's look was so intense. Harry pulled Draco's legs to his thighs for easier access. He leaned forward and kissed Draco, urging him to relax through his kiss.

Draco took several deep breaths. He could feel Harry at his entrance and he tensed up. Harry ran his hands up and down his thighs, urging him to calm down. Draco breathed deeply and nodded once at Harry. He nodded in return and he started to slowly, painstakingly slowly, push into Draco. Each time that Draco cringed, Harry stopped and waited, nearly pulling out each time, but Draco shook his head and encouraged him to keep going.

Finally, he was fully inside him and was straining against coming right then because Draco felt so unbelievably good. He waited for several minutes while Draco relaxed. His cock was still hard and there was no way that Harry could soften even if he tried. It felt too good.

"Okay, I'm ready," Draco said through clenched teeth. Harry wasn't sure he was, but started to move in and out of him slowly. After a few times, Draco began to respond to his movements and push back as well. Harry picked up the pace a little and Draco reached up and took his own cock into his hand. Harry bit down on his lip hard, nearly drawing blood as he watched Draco get off. Harry matched his rhythm and as Draco started to come, his walls clenched around Harry and he cried out as his orgasm hit him like a train and he came hard, Draco surrounding him.

It seemed like forever before Harry was done shaking from his orgasm. He slid out of Draco and collapsed next to him. They were both panting and spent. Draco grabbed Harry's wand and cast cleansing charms on them. Harry sighed as he crawled up next to Draco and cuddled against him. Draco sighed in contentment. They lay that way for several minutes, breathing deeply, trying to calm themselves.

"Harry, I have no words to describe how I'm feeling right now," Draco whispered.

"Hopefully whatever you're feeling is good," Harry replied tiredly.

"So good," he muttered.

Harry popped up on his elbow and looked down at him. He leaned forward and kissed him carefully. "I love you," he whispered.

Draco grinned. "I love you, too," he responded.

Harry kissed him once more, but startled when they heard the door open and close. They heard Ron muttering the locking and silencing spells. "Are you decent?" he asked.

Draco and Harry exchanged amused glances. "Do you want the truth?" Harry called out.

They heard Ron cough loudly and splutter a bit. "Lie to me, please lie to me," he called back.

"We're fully clothed then," Draco replied.

Harry and Draco started to laugh and heard Ron groan. Ron glanced over at their bed and saw the hangings open somewhat. He couldn't see in which he was thankful for, but he couldn't miss the boxers and pajamas that were obviously summoned by one of them. He glanced over at the sitting area and saw one t-shirt on the back of the couch and two pairs of jeans thrown across the table. He groaned again and rubbed his eyes.

"You guys are unbelievable," Ron muttered.

"You knew you'd come back to this," Harry reminded him.

Ron snorted. "Yes, silly me for suggesting to Mione that we give you two some alone time," he replied.

Harry laughed and came out from the hangings, dressed in his pajamas. Ron looked over at him in embarrassment. Harry just laughed and patted his shoulder as he walked past him and into the loo. Draco slid out and looked over at Ron smugly. Ron glared slightly at him, but there wasn't any menace in it.

He knew what had happened. It was so obvious. He stared at Draco for a few moments, feeling protective of his friend's feelings all of a sudden. "You better love him," he warned Draco.

Draco's eyes widened in surprise at the veiled threat. "You have no idea how much," he replied.

"I'm realizing you're a decent bloke, Malfoy, but if you hurt him, I will hex you and hurt you right back," Ron promised.

Draco stepped towards him and Ron didn't flinch a bit. Draco admired that. "If I hurt him, I _want_ you to hex me," he assured him.

Ron nodded his agreement. Draco walked over to the loo and went in there as well. He stepped up next to Harry and kissed his shoulder before he reached for his toothbrush. Harry gave him a peculiar look, but Draco just smiled and went about brushing his teeth.

Harry walked out first and met Ron's gaze. Ron looked like he was in protective mode. "Alright, mate?" he asked.

Ron nodded. "Yes, just coming to an agreement with Malfoy," he replied.

Harry frowned. "I see."

Ron nodded again and got into bed. "Night. I'm glad you're officially back," he said before he closed the hangings around his bed.

"Me too, night," Harry replied.

Harry slid into bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. He watched as Draco came out of the bathroom rubbing his face on his good side. Harry felt his heart swell at seeing him walking towards him. Draco met his gaze and grinned. He climbed into bed and curled into Harry. He sighed in contentment and closed his eyes. Of course, it was then that he remembered that Harry had to tell him something about Neville. He debated about waiting until the morning because he didn't want to ruin their night, but he thought that it was probably a pretty big deal, especially if Harry said that he might have been right.

"Harry?" he ventured quietly.

"Hmmm?" Harry muttered.

"What happened with Neville?" he asked.

Harry sighed. "He brought me chocolates from Honeydukes, wiped said chocolate off my lips with his finger, and asked me when I knew I was gay which I told him that I thought I was only that way for you. He asked why I chose you when I could have anyone and when I explained to him that I'd never feel that way about him, he replied that he wasn't thinking about me like that at all. Then he left," he explained.

Throughout the entire story, Draco got angrier and angrier. How dare Neville move in on what belonged to him? Harry was his, now more than ever. "That explains a lot," he bit out.

Harry wrapped his arms around Draco more tightly. "Don't worry about it, okay? I'm not going to be stolen away from you. I happen to like you just a bit," he teased. He kissed the top of his head and hugged him.

Draco sighed. He felt a little better, but he was definitely going to be watching Neville more closely now. He settled into Harry more tightly and drifted off to sleep.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Here's the last chapter for the weekend. Eight more chapters to go. Things are going to crazy. Also, there is more jealous Draco in this chapter :). Enjoy!**

The rest of the week went by quickly enough. Harry was still being eyed as a god and he didn't really see an end in sight for that. People left him alone for the most part so he appreciated that. Evan had been avoiding Draco as much as possible. Harry kept a subtle eye on him, but he wasn't even looking in Draco's direction. He must have taken his threat seriously and the fact that he owed detention for a whole month. Harry was pleased about this.

Draco and Harry had spent plenty of time around each other in public, building up their 'friendship' for everyone to see. Some students started to look at Draco differently, in a good way and Harry was pleased about that as well.

It was the day of the Quidditch match and Harry and Draco were readying to go to the game. It wasn't too cold, but they brought jackets and scarves just in case. It was a Gryffindor versus Slytherin game so it was sure to be an interesting match for Harry and Draco to experience together.

"What are the odds at this point?" Draco asked as they walked down to the pitch, Hermione trailing behind trying to calm an excited Ron.

Harry shrugged. "From what I can understand in gambling lingo, Gryffindor is up against Slytherin. Granted, that's a bunch of Gryffindors betting so it might not be accurate," he replied.

Draco laughed. "I heard the opposite from the Slytherins," he countered.

Harry laughed. "See, there ya' go. I guess it doesn't matter either way. We aren't playing," he responded.

Draco grinned and bumped his shoulder. Harry glanced over at him and blushed slightly, but grinned back.

"Harry?" someone said. Harry looked up and his eyes widened in surprise. Oliver Wood was standing near the bleachers. Harry hadn't seen him since the Quidditch World Cup. He looked very much the same albeit a bit older.

"Oliver. What are you doing here?" Harry asked in surprise as he reached him. He extended his hand and they shook. Oliver pulled him into a hug which caused Harry to make a surprised sound. Draco stared at Oliver and felt his jealousy rear its ugly head. He could compete against Neville easily, but he wasn't so sure about Oliver Wood. This guy reeked of sexiness. Draco glared at him.

"I'm in the area for Quidditch and thought I'd check out a Hogwarts game. Fancy it being a Gryffindor versus Slytherin game, eh?" he joked as he stepped away from Harry, letting go of his hand.

Harry stepped away, blushing profusely. Draco didn't like that at all. Harry ran a hand through his hair, brushing his bangs out of the way. "Yeah, that's quite a coincidence," Harry said.

Oliver's grin broadened and he finally noticed Draco. His grin slipped away and he gave Draco an assessing look. "Malfoy," he acknowledged stiffly.

"Wood," Draco replied in the same tone. Harry looked between them uncomfortably. Hermione and Ron seemed to be gauging the situation from behind them. She was worrying her lip and Ron looked as if he was struggling to find the words to address Oliver as if he were a mega star or something. Granted, he did play for Puddlemere United so it made sense.

"Oliver, how grood to see you," Ron stuttered as he pushed between Harry and Draco, effectively breaking off the standoff between Draco and Oliver. Harry sighed and stepped back. Draco turned his glare on Harry and Harry gave him a questioning look. Draco rolled his eyes and looked away.

"Hey, Ron, how's it going? How's everyone?" he asked, concern in his tone. Ron started talking about how everyone was doing as he and Oliver started up into the bleachers. Harry followed, Draco and Hermione coming along as well. Harry wondered what was upsetting Draco so much.

Once they got to the top of the bleachers, above the Gryffindors, Harry sat and Draco took a seat next to him. Hermione was on his other side followed by Ron and then Oliver.

"What's wrong?" Harry whispered as he turned to look at Draco.

Draco had his arms crossed and he was visibly fuming. "I'm being reminded at what a prize you are," Draco muttered in response.

Harry laughed and shook his head. Draco turned his icy glare on him again. Harry cringed. "I'm laughing at you because I'm not a prize and I don't even know what you're saying," Harry replied.

Draco turned, glanced around, and then looked back at Harry intently. "Wood was not hiding his feelings very well," he replied.

"What does that mean? Because he hugged me instead of shaking my hand?" he asked quietly.

"Do you really not see when someone is into you?" he whispered harshly.

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head. "He's not into me. He was just glad to see me and that's all."

Draco shook his head and turned away. No one seemed to notice their exchange aside from Hermione, but she wasn't saying anything.

"So Harry, you're statement to the Prophet was very interesting," Oliver commented.

Harry looked over at him. Oliver was just grinning at him, nothing to signal feelings of any kind. "Which part?" Harry asked.

"Mostly about your boyfriend. I didn't expect that," he replied. He winked at Harry which caused Harry to second guess his original assessment.

He heard Draco gasp. He glanced over at him and saw his boyfriend tense up immediately. "I don't think either of us expected it to happen either, but it did and I'm happy that it did," Harry replied. Draco's tension lessened with that response.

"So who's the lucky guy?" Oliver asked.

"You and everyone else are just going to have to wait," Harry replied.

"That serious, huh?" he asked in surprise.

Draco tensed again. Harry lifted his brow in confusion. "Of course, we're serious," Harry replied.

Oliver nodded and turned to engage in a conversation with Ron again. Harry sat back and turned slightly to face Draco. "Apparently, I'm a horrible judge of feelings," he commented.

"Apparently," Draco responded quietly, not looking at him.

Harry sighed and turned to face the pitch. He wanted to reach out and soothe Draco, but knew that he couldn't. He glanced down the bleachers and saw Hagrid waving at him. Harry waved back, smiling broadly at his old friend. Hagrid gestured for him to come down. "I'm going to see what Hagrid wants," Harry commented as he stood and started down the bleachers.

Draco watched him leave, frowning the entire way. He watched as Hagrid gave Harry a bone crushing hug and then walked away from the bleacher stairs. He sighed when they went out of view and looked out over the pitch. He caught sight of Evan who was watching him. He narrowed his gaze slightly at him and Evan immediately looked away.

"So do you guys know who his boyfriend is?" Oliver asked them.

"He's keeping a pretty tight lid on whom it is, but he's really happy so that's all that matters to us," Ron responded.

Oliver looked out at the pitch thoughtfully. Hermione watched the wheels turning. "Why are you so interested?" she asked.

Oliver looked back, blushing. "Ah, well, I'm not super interested, I just, I'm surprised is all. It's interesting, you know?" he stuttered.

Hermione lifted her brow in question. Draco was barely containing his annoyance with yet another person trying to move in on Harry. "How's it interesting, Wood? Curious minds are wondering," Draco asked.

Oliver narrowed his gaze. "Not that it matters to you, but I find it interesting because I find Harry interesting," he replied in a mocking tone.

Draco tried really hard not to react to that. He turned away, shaking his head. "Well, Harry's happy, Oliver. You'd better not interfere with that," Hermione warned.

Oliver waved his hand at her and shook his head. "I won't. I was just answering a question," he replied.

Draco stood. "Excuse me," he said as he stood and started walking in the direction that Harry had gone.

"What's his problem?" Oliver asked in confusion.

Ron shrugged. "So tell me what it's like to play against the Cannons." Oliver stopped watching Draco leave and engaged in conversation again with Ron. Hermione smiled over at her boyfriend and patted his leg to let him know she appreciated his interference.

Draco could hear Hagrid's booming voice so he followed it and found him and Harry talking, catching up. Draco stood nearby. Harry seemed to sense him and turned to look at him. He smiled and motioned for him to come over. Draco did so reluctantly. Hagrid looked down at him with his beady eyes, but smiled.

"Mister Malfoy," he greeted.

"Hagrid," Draco said respectfully. He knew how important Hagrid was to Harry and although he didn't respect the man nearly enough, he could still be polite.

Hagrid gave him a surprised look. "Harry was just telling me that you'll be joinin' him fer his detention," Hagrid said.

Draco looked over at Harry in surprise. "Not because you're in trouble. Just to get to know each other some more and Hagrid," Harry assured him.

Draco nodded. "Right, of course. It should be fun, I hope anyway," he replied.

Hagrid laughed loudly. Draco just chuckled uncomfortably and looked at Harry with a questioning look. Harry grinned at him.

"It'll be fun. I'll be takin' my seat now. Good to see you, Harry, Mister Malfoy," he said as he stomped away from them. Harry watched him leave and looked at Draco.

"Come here," Harry said quietly as he gestured to under the bleachers. Draco followed him. Draco went in first and Harry checked around them to make sure no one was watching and followed him. He cast notice-me-not and silencing spells around them. "How about you just decide who might be into me and I'll never try to guess?" Harry joked.

Draco had his back to him and sighed. Harry walked over to him and looped his arms around his waist and kissed his shoulder. "I'm not sure I can compete with Oliver Wood," Draco said quietly.

Harry shook his head against Draco's back and kissed his shoulder again. "There is no competition. Oliver is a nice guy, good looking even, but he has nothing on you. I love _you_ ," Harry assured him.

Draco sighed and turned around. Harry looked up at him and saw the worry in his eyes. He kissed him, expressing his feelings into the kiss. "I used to be so confident. What happened?" Draco joked as they broke their kiss.

Harry laughed. "Have you ever been in love?"

"No, not until you," Draco replied.

"I'm no expert either, but maybe it's just a normal part of a relationship and being in love?" he asked.

"Or it's just what goes with the territory of being with the most loved and famous wizard of all time," Draco countered.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Either way, you're plenty confident. You've been knocked down a few pegs lately so your confidence is lacking, but it'll bounce back and it will have nothing to do with being with me. Neville and Oliver and any other guy or girl can try all they want to pull me away from you; it's not going to happen. We're in this for the long haul. Nothing is going to change that," Harry replied.

Draco kissed him deeply then, feeling better once again. He stepped back. "Alright, I'm done being ridiculous, for now anyway. Are you ready to head back up?"

Harry grinned, but went back to kissing him. They could hear the game starting, but neither of them seemed to notice. They didn't finally head back up until fifteen minutes later. Harry first and then Draco. They shared a private smile as Draco returned. Oliver only stuck around a bit longer before he went to meet up with some other former Hogwarts students. Draco visibly relaxed as soon as he left. Finally, they could enjoy the game. Gryffindor won.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Here's another chapter for this story! There is a lot going on in this chapter. So much that I can't even list it all here. Thank you for all the reviews and follows. I appreciate it! Enjoy :)**

Draco stood outside the library, holding a stack of books in one hand as he clutched his bag in the other. His strap had broken and he seemed to have forgotten that he was a wizard. Finally, he dropped the books, mended the bag, and then started gathering them up again. He sighed. He was tired and lonely. Harry had been busy for the past couple of weeks with a major Defense Against the Dark Arts project. They had been doing well since the Quidditch match and Draco started to feel more like himself. It was easier to be around Harry now that he was actually visibly there. They had their stolen moments, but nothing too serious.

Draco stood, the stack of books now secure between his two hands. He started for the door, but stopped short. Evan was standing there staring at him. Draco hadn't heard from his mother lately about whether or not she found out more about Evan. Draco lifted his chin and started for the door to the library. Evan blocked his path. Draco sighed even though his stomach was rolling in nervousness.

"I'm trying to get by, Roberts," Draco said in a calm tone.

Evan lifted his brow. "I'm surprised to see you're alone. It's interesting to me that ever since Harry Potter came out of hiding, you two have been attached at the hip," he commented.

Draco stared at him and blinked slowly. He wouldn't give away their secret, especially to this low life. "We made amends. We're friends. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have homework to do," Draco stated as he tried once again to side step Evan.

Evan stepped in his way again. "I'm not sure you should go in there," he warned.

Draco narrowed his gaze. "And why would you say that?" he drawled.

"You might get a little jealous of who is taking up Potter's time," Evan replied with a smirk.

Draco kept his expression in check. He gave a light shrug. "Harry can have any friends he wants. Not sure what I'd be jealous about," Draco replied even though his stomach was in knots. Somehow he knew that Evan knew about him and Harry.

Evan frowned. "He won't always be there, you know? One of these days, he'll be gone," he said as he stepped out of Draco's way and started down the corridor.

Draco felt his stomach drop and his heart rate pick up. He turned to look at Evan's retreating form. "Are you threatening him?"

Evan chuckled darkly. "No, I am not. I'm simply stating fact. He'll tire of you eventually and I'll be there to see it. Can't wait." He laughed loudly again and turned the corner.

Draco stared after him, long after he was gone. He tried to take several breaths to calm his anxiety, but it wasn't working. He turned and rushed into the library. He dropped his books at the circulation desk and went to find Harry.

He searched through the main tables, the ones that he usually sat at, but he wasn't there. He walked through the aisles to the back tables and found him sitting with one other person. He stopped short and assessed the situation. It was a seventh year girl in Ravenclaw. Draco didn't know her name, but she was sitting in such a way towards Harry that Draco knew immediately that she was very interested in him.

Harry was leaning over the same book as her pointing out something. She nodded in agreement at whatever he said and laughed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Harry smiled slightly at her, but Draco saw that his smile was not the one that he gives to Draco. That calmed him somewhat. He stepped back into the aisle so that he could watch for a few more minutes. Harry was scribbling something on his paper so Draco took the time to really look at the girl. She was attractive. She seemed somewhat tall and had long dark hair. Her eyes were bright blue. Her smile was decent enough. Despite being in Ravenclaw, she wasn't very keen on knowing when someone wasn't interested.

Harry stopped scribbling and looked up at the girl. She batted her eyelashes at him. Harry shifted uncomfortably. She laughed and reached out to touch his thigh.

"Harry, when are you going to come to your senses?" she asked in a sweet tone.

Draco's blood started to boil. "My senses about what?" he asked in confusion.

She laughed again. "About making up a boyfriend. Don't you know that you could have anyone? You don't have to pretend that you have a boyfriend or girlfriend even when there are so many people who would gladly take the job," she said in an even sweeter tone than before.

Draco growled. His mind was racing and he knew that he needed to make a decision now. He was so tired of pretending to be Harry's friend and people trying to replace him. He didn't care anymore who knew about him and Harry. He was going to let the world know that they were together. He was done with the secrets.

Harry's eyes widened. "My boyfriend is not made up. Geez, he's just not ready to be out there yet. Why can't you people just back off? For fuck's sake." Harry rubbed his face roughly and started to pack up his stuff.

The girl looked at him in alarm. "Harry, wait. I'm sorry, but until it's out in the open, you're going to have people trying to get with you. Come on, he's not going to know. He's not even here," she cooed.

Harry's eyes widened further and his mouth dropped open in shock. Draco, on the other hand, was glaring fiercely and taking deep breaths to keep himself from losing his shit on this girl.

"Actually, that's where you're wrong," Draco said as he stepped out from the shelves. Harry and the girl turned to look at him in surprise. Relief flooded Harry's face.

"Excuse me? This is not your business, Malfoy," she snapped.

Draco stepped closer and lifted an eyebrow at her. He laughed and closed the distance between himself and Harry. Harry gave him a questioning look, but Draco just nodded once and planted tender kiss to Harry's lips. Harry may or may not have made a pleased sound at the kiss and the girl may or may not have cried out in surprise. Draco stepped back and looked at the girl.

"You see, it is my business because I am Harry's boyfriend and you are seriously moving in on my territory and I am not going to allow that. Move along. I'm sure that this project can be completed in class," Draco said in a confident tone, lifting his chin in defiance.

The girl looked between Harry and Draco. Her expression becoming more and more agonized by the second. She lifted her wand and cast several charms to see if Harry was under anything that would explain him being with Draco. They both frowned at her and shook their heads.

"But, but, it's Malfoy," she said in disbelief.

Harry grinned and looked up at him. "Yeah, I know," he said quietly. His tone was obviously loving as was his expression. The girl looked away and gathered up her things. She said nothing more as she scampered away from them with her tail between her legs.

Draco sat in her vacated seat and sighed. "Front page news?" he asked quietly.

Harry grinned. "For days," he teased. Draco grinned and leaned forward to kiss Harry again. He felt his world right itself again. He knew that it wouldn't be easy for awhile and there would be lots of scrutiny about whether or not Harry was cursed or had taken a potion or whatever, but at least it was going to be out there and they were going to be able to show that they were more than friends in public. This pleased him and hoped that people would back off and leave Harry alone. He was his and no one else was going to take that away from him.

 **XXXX**

 _Readers, I can't believe that I am writing this. I can't believe that this is being sent to press, but alas it is. We have breaking news that will surely rock the very ground you stand on. For weeks now, we've known that Harry Potter was off the market. We had no idea who his boyfriend was nor did many of us think he existed, but he does readers, he does. As of last night, the secret boyfriend has been revealed. Many of us have speculated as to his identity, but I can officially tell you now, dear readers, that we have a name. It is not who any of us would have ever thought for our illustrious hero, but it is who it is. There will surely be an investigation as this seems very suspicious indeed. I'm flabbergasted, readers, I really am. The identity of Mister Potter's lover, paramour, boyfriend, is none other than the son of the most famous Death Eater, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's right hand man, Lucius Malfoy's son, Draco. Yes, readers, you read that right. Draco Malfoy is Harry Potter's boyfriend…._

Harry and Draco read the article together in bed. They chose not to go down to breakfast that morning and stay in their room instead. Professor McGonagall hadn't lifted the charm on the desk so they were able to eat there. An owl had delivered the Prophet to Draco that morning.

"You're my lover, my paramour," Harry joked as he snuggled against Draco.

Draco laughed and rolled his eyes. "It's so dramatic," he paused as the joking mood slipped away and the seriousness of the article returned. "Do you think they'll actually do an investigation?" he sounded a bit worried at the thought.

"They probably will, but there's nothing to worry about. I'm not under a curse and I haven't taken a love potion. Kingsley will be sure that everything is done by the book. I'm so glad this is finally out. I can't wait to just walk the halls with you, holding your hand, stealing kisses before class," Harry said quietly as if he was seeing it in his mind's eye.

Draco grinned and turned so that he could face him better. He leaned down and kissed him. They kissed for a few minutes before they broke apart, smiling and breathless. "It won't be easy…" Draco muttered.

Harry shrugged. "It's only easy when we're alone. It'll be fine, eventually. We just have to get through the initial roughness. We're in this together. We can finally be out there and hopefully now, people will leave me alone!" he cried, laughing towards the end.

Draco grinned and kissed him again. They were interrupted by a knock on the door. They both sat up from the bed and slipped their shirts on. Harry walked over to the door and opened it. Draco stood behind Harry.

"Professor McGonagall," Harry said in surprise. He stepped away from the door and she stalked in, looking restless.

"Mister Potter, Mister Malfoy, a warning would have been nice," she said in a stern voice.

Both boys blushed. "I'm sorry, Professor. It happened last night and honestly, I think we were just tired of keeping it a secret. Is it that bad?" Harry apologized.

Professor McGonagall sighed. "It's not quite pandemonium, but it's definitely a big deal. Mostly everyone is accepting of it because you have both been getting along just fine as friends, but there are others who are up in arms about it. Mister Roberts in particular is very upset about it," she warned.

Harry and Draco exchanged glances. "Why?" Draco asked quietly.

Professor McGonagall shrugged. "I'm unsure, but it can't be good. I'll keep an eye on him though and I suggest that both of you stick with people wherever you go. Mister Potter, the Minister of Magic will be here later this morning as well as a few aurors. They'd like to interview you," she replied.

Harry sighed and Draco's face paled. Harry reached over and gripped his hand. He gave him an assuring look and shook his head. "Thank you, Professor. I'm sorry that I've made such a mess," he replied.

Professor McGonagall laughed and then pursed her lips. "I'm used to your messes, Mister Potter. All will be well. We'll just have to get through these few days. Come to my office at ten o'clock. Use your cloak, Harry," she said. She nodded briskly and turned and left the room.

Harry locked the door absently. He turned and watched as Draco flopped face down on the bed. Harry sighed and started for the bed. He paused when he heard a tapping at the window. An owl, that looked very much like Draco's owl, was pecking on the window. Harry opened it and the owl flew in. He landed on the desk and stuck out his leg. Harry took the note, gave it a treat, and it went on its way.

Harry saw that the note was for Draco and that it was from his mother. He walked over to the bed and lay down next to Draco. "Your mum sent you a letter," Harry told him.

Draco sighed and sat up. He grabbed the note from him and opened it.

 _Dear Draco,_

 _Imagine my surprise this morning when the Prophet arrived. It appears that your relationship with Mister Potter is breaking news. That Skeeter woman is quite dramatic. I am, however, pleased that you finally decided to let the world know that you and Mister Potter are together. Now might we move on to something else?_

 _I am writing not only to congratulate you, but to give you some information. I finally heard back from some contacts. Be looking for a separate owl that may hold even more information that I'm about to tell you. Evan Roberts's brother was recruited by Lucius and MacNair specifically. Apparently, his brother had unique skills that the Dark Lord required. He came willingly and knew exactly what he was getting into. He worked diligently within the circle as well as at the Ministry. He was one of their insiders. He provided valuable information to the Dark Lord. Unfortunately, he became too confident in his abilities and tried to pull one over on the Dark Lord. I don't think I need to tell you what happened to him. Mister Robert's is surely trying to find someone to blame for what happened to his brother, unfortunately he's focusing on the wrong person. Be safe, my dragon. Tell Harry I said hello._

 _Love,_

 _Mother_

Draco looked up at Harry, pale as a ghost. Harry took the letter from him and read it. He sighed and rubbed his face roughly. "Well, that explains that," he said quietly.

"What are we going to do?" Draco asked.

Harry frowned. "I'm not sure. We'll just stick with others and we'll figure something out. We could confront him and make him see that it isn't your fault. It's not even your father's fault. His brother knew what he was getting into. Besides, your mum said that she's sending an owl that may have more information about him. Maybe we can use that to help?"

Draco nodded. Another tapping interrupted their conversation. This time, Draco got up and retrieved a small parcel from the bird. After the owl left, Draco sat down next to Harry and opened the parcel. Inside was a journal. He frowned as he opened the journal. The name on the first page was Samuel Roberts. Harry and Draco looked at each other in surprise. They scanned a few pages, realizing that this was a journal that Evan's brother had written in. This may be their golden ticket to get Evan to leave Draco alone, once and for all.

It was nearing ten so Harry put the journal into his nightstand and locked it. He and Draco dressed and grabbed his cloak. Draco put the cloak on first and followed Harry out. They checked the hallway and then Harry slipped under the cloak. They made their way carefully to the portrait. Luckily for them, some students were coming back from breakfast. Harry and Draco slipped out, hearing the group discussing Harry's love interest. He rolled his eyes, but said nothing.

It took a lot longer than either boy would have liked, but they made it to McGonagall's office. It was ten o'clock exactly. Once the wall slid closed and the staircase started spiraling up, Harry and Draco removed the cloak and shared a deep kiss before they faced the investigation team.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Here is the next chapter for this story. I will post another one in just a bit. I would have had these out last night, but work was calling me and I had to listen lol. Anyway, I miscounted and we actually have 10 chapters left after this one so the story isn't quite over. This chapter has the interview and it's fluffy, of course. Enjoy and thank you for the reviews and follows :)**

Harry sat in one of the seats that were set in front of Professor McGonagall's desk. Kingsley sat in the one opposite. Draco sat in a chair against the wall, flanked by two aurors. He looked less than comfortable in that moment. Harry watched him worriedly. Another auror was nearby, scribbling down anything and everything that was happening in the room.

Harry turned to look at Kingsley and took a deep breath. "Hello, Kingsley," Harry said cordially.

Kingsley smiled warmly at him. "I can see that you think this is unnecessary, but it must be done. I thought you'd be more comfortable if I did the interview than someone else," he offered.

Harry nodded appreciatively. "Yes, thank you. Before we start, I'm having trouble understanding why this is necessary?"

Harry glanced over at Draco who was nodding slightly in agreement. Kingsley followed Harry's gaze and nodded understandingly at Draco. "Well, as you know, Mister Malfoy has certain conditions to adhere to throughout his probationary period. He is not allowed to participate in any magic that is considered as ill-advised and, or, illegal. Should you be under any curses or been given any potions, he would be violating his probation and thus would be sent to Azkaban for the remainder of his sentence," Kingsley explained.

Harry sighed. He figured that was the reasoning behind it. "Very well, then. Let's get this over with," he said.

Kingsley nodded. He stood and uncorked a bottle of veritaserum. He dropped three drops onto Harry's tongue and then sat down again. They waited for a minute for the potion to take effect. Harry looked over at Draco who was staring down at the ground. Harry could clearly see that all of this was very upsetting to him. He shook his head and looked away. Would things ever get easier for them?

"Please state your full name," Kingsley began.

"Harry James Potter," Harry replied.

"What is your date of birth?"

"July 31, 1980."

"How long have you known that you were a wizard?"

"Seven years. Since I was eleven and received my Hogwarts letter."

"Did you kill Voldemort?"

"No. The spell he sent at me, clashed with my own, and then the wand that he was using refused to kill its true master, me, and turned on the caster. Voldemort's curse backfired and hit himself. He killed himself with a wand that's allegiance belonged to me. In a sense, I did kill him, but not by my own spell," Harry explained.

Draco's eyes widened and he looked up at him. He hadn't heard it explained that way before. He realized then that he really could have lost Harry in that moment if things had gone any differently that day at the Manor.

Kingsley seemed equally surprised by this, but continued with the questioning. "When did your relationship start with Mister Malfoy?"

Harry frowned. "Which one?" Draco laughed quietly at his question.

Kingsley looked at him in confusion. "Uh, the first one," Kingsley decided.

"Sixth year."

Kingsley glanced back at Draco in confusion. Draco was still looking down, listening intently. "How did your relationship start in sixth year?" he asked.

"I noticed that Draco was struggling with something. I confronted him one day and he nearly cursed me because I saw him crying. I told him that I just wanted to talk to him so we met up later at the lake and that's when we started being friends, sort of," Harry explained.

"Was this when Voldemort had tasked him with killing Albus Dumbledore and letting Death Eaters into Hogwarts?"

"Yes."

"Where did it go from there?"

Harry thought for a moment. He wasn't fighting the effect of the truth serum. He was simply trying to get his thoughts in order to provide the right answer. "Well, we talked through notes. Draco came up with a brilliant idea. He spelled these pockets that allowed us to talk to each other without anyone knowing. It would have been dangerous for both of us if anyone knew. We met up a few other times before sixth year was over. Once I left during the summer before seventh year, our communication was few and far between, but our feelings towards each other had changed. We were beginning to like each other as more than just friends."

"When did you decide that you wanted to be a couple?" Kingsley asked, somewhat uncomfortably.

Harry laughed. "Well, I wanted to start dating him the night Voldemort died, but he wasn't ready. He wanted me to be sure. Then I pushed for us again when I spoke at his trial, but he turned me down again. I'd like to say the third time's a charm, but not for us. I went to see him while he was in France, at their chateau there, and I was in a bad way. I was struggling with everything that had happened. Anyway, I tried to get him to start dating me then too, but he denied me again. Finally, after being there for two weeks, he finally gave in and we've been together ever since. So that would have been near the middle of July."

Draco was scowling as he listened to Harry's answer. He felt like a git for making Harry wait so long. "At any point, have you felt like being with Mister Malfoy was a mistake, like you knew you shouldn't be with him, but you couldn't explain it?" His question was getting towards being cursed or under a love potion.

Draco looked up and watched Harry carefully. He didn't think he'd say yes, but he wasn't sure if Harry had ever felt that way. Harry scowled. "Never. Quite the opposite actually. Draco and I feel right like we're supposed to be together. It feels like it was divined for us to be together. That's an interesting thought…." Harry trailed off as he thought about his last statement.

"Where do you see your relationship going?" Kingsley asked quietly.

Harry grinned. "We're going to get married and we're going to have a family. That's where we are heading."

Draco blushed deeply, but his grin matched Harry's. "Do you love him?" Kingsley asked. This question seemed to be coming from a more fatherly standpoint than anything else.

"With all my heart," Harry replied. He finally looked back over at Draco who was beaming at him. Kingsley turned and looked at Draco as well. He nodded.

"Thank you, Harry. Mister Malfoy, would you be willing to use veritaserum and answer some questions as well?" Kingsley asked him.

Draco looked away from Harry and met Kingsley's gaze. "Yes, sir," he replied quietly.

Harry stood and switched places with Draco. Kingsley went through the same procedure as he had with Harry.

"Mister Malfoy, I'll make this brief. Do you agree with what Harry said about the beginning of your relationship?" he asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"At any point, in the beginning of your first relationship, did you have questionable intentions in regards to Harry?"

"Yes, but not in the way you might think. I questioned whether it was a good idea to become friends with him especially with what we were both facing, but I had wanted to be friends with him for years so I ignored that," he explained.

"I see. How about during your seventh year? Do you agree with his assessment of that time?"

"Yes. Things started to change at the end of sixth year, after Severus fulfilled his agreement with Professor Dumbledore. I realized that I was feeling differently about Harry than just being his friend," Draco replied.

Kingsley nodded. He glanced back at Harry who was listening intently. "How about the events after he came to your family home in France?"

Draco frowned. "That was really hard to see. Harry is such a strong person, but he had become so lost. I knew that he needed to get past that, before we could seriously consider being together. I have wondered often if I should have just given in, but I think I made the right choice."

"Since you became a couple, have you ever felt that you and Harry shouldn't be together?"

Harry stared at Draco, waiting for him to respond. Some part of him felt that Draco might have questioned them before. "Yes," Draco replied quietly. Harry's eyes widened and he gasped.

He wanted to ask him to explain, but he couldn't find the words. Kingsley asked for him. "Why would you question it?" Kingsley asked.

Draco sighed and looked down at his hands. He wrung them together. "He could do so much better. That's no secret. Those who aren't supportive are thinking that. I do question if we should be together because of that. I love him, I really do, and I want to be with him, but I can't help, but question the fact that he could do better," he whispered.

Kingsley glanced back at Harry who was staring openly at Draco, his mouth open in surprise. He turned back to Draco. "Mister Malfoy, at any point, have you forced Harry to be with you by magic or otherwise?"

"Never."

"Thank you, Mister Malfoy. Thank you, Minerva for allowing us to conduct the interview. We will report this and be sure that the air is nice and clear about your relationship. Good luck to you both. I imagine that it will be a bit rocky for a bit, but it'll get better," Kingsley said. He stood and patted Draco's shoulder. He shook Harry's hand and then walked over to the fireplace. The aurors followed and they flooed out of Professor McGonagall's office.

The office was silent. Draco continued to sit in the chair that the interview had been conducted in and Harry hadn't moved from his seat either. Professor McGonagall looked between the two. She stood, waved the headmaster's away and walked into her quarters off the office. She shut the door behind her, giving them the privacy they needed.

"You really think I could do better than you? Like I'd want to?" Harry asked quietly, breaking the silence.

"Yes to the first question. I don't know to the second," Draco replied.

Harry narrowed his gaze. "Did you not hear a word I said? Did you not hear what I imagine for our future, the direction that we're going?" he demanded.

"Yes, I did, but now that we're officially out there, your mind could be changed. It's not going to be easy. There are people that truly hate me and will do anything and everything to convince you that there is someone better for you. Salazar, Harry, that Ravenclaw didn't even know that you and I were together and she was trying to convince you that you could do better. You could do so much better than me," he insisted.

"Dammit, Draco, I've told you a million times that I don't give a fuck what people think about me. The only opinion that matters to me is yours. I know that you and I are meant to be. I know that there is no one else out there who is meant for me. Stop thinking like that. We won't be able to move forward if you keep thinking that you're not good enough for me!" Harry cried his voice raising. In his rant, he had stood up and began pacing.

Draco looked up at him, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry. I believe you, I really do, I'm struggling with thinking that I deserve you and I've got some bad thoughts running through my head anyway. I just, I didn't tell you about something that happened last night."

Harry stopped and looked at him. "What happened?"

"Before I came into the library, I ran into Roberts. He's how I knew that you were working with that girl and he implied that she was interested. I played it off like you could be friends with anyone you wanted, but I think he knew. As he was leaving, he told me that you wouldn't always be around and that one day you'd be gone. I asked if he was threatening you, but he said that he was just stating fact and that you would eventually tire of me," he explained quietly.

Harry growled in anger and shook his head. "Well, that explains that," he muttered darkly. He walked over and sat across from Draco. He reached out and gripped his hand. His expression softened as Draco looked up at him. "Look, Roberts, Hermione, Ron, anyone else can say what they want, but I am the only one who knows what I'm thinking. I'm not going anywhere and I'm not going to tire of you. I don't know how many more ways I can tell you that to make you understand. You have to trust me, Draco. You have to trust us. It will be hard at first, now that we're out there, but eventually it'll be better. Please have trust in me, in us," Harry begged.

Draco sighed. "I love you," he said quietly.

Harry grinned. "I love you, too. Now come on. Let's face the world, well, at least Hogwarts anyway," he teased.

Harry stood up. Draco followed. They walked to the stair case and stepped onto them. As it spiraled down, Harry reached over, and linked his fingers with Draco's. They locked eyes. Harry gave him an reassuring smile which Draco returned. The staircase stopped and Draco and Harry faced the wall that would open into the corridor. It slid open and the sounds of students moving about the castle filtered in. They glanced once more at each other and then stepped out. Those who noticed the wall glanced over and stopped their movements. Draco gripped Harry's hand as they moved towards the crowd. They were heading for the stairs to return to their tower. Everyone started to notice the sudden quiet and turned to face them. The crowd parted as Harry made his way through them, Draco closely behind him. Draco was shaking, but kept his chin up and let everyone know that they weren't going to bother him.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Here's another chapter for you all. Some reactions to the news of Harry and Draco being a couple are in here as well as some snitch fun. Enjoy!**

Harry kept his face neutral, but noticed that most of the students were giving them encouraging smiles. A few looked at them like they didn't care one way or the other whom dated whom and then an even smaller few were glaring at them. They finally reached the stairs and started up them. People stared at them as they passed. Then they would start whispering about them. Harry just shook his head. He could feel how tense Draco was next to him.

"It's okay, love," he soothed quietly as they continued past groups of students.

Draco blushed at the pet name. He squeezed Harry's hand. "I quite like that," he whispered back. Harry laughed and bumped his shoulder.

They made it back to the tower with nothing happening aside from stares. They walked in and once everyone saw them, the common room went silent. Hermione grinned at the two and walked over to them. Ron followed in her footsteps.

"Was that planned?" she asked when she got over to them.

Draco blushed and ran his free hand through his hair. "Um, no, but I was getting tired of people moving in on Harry, so last night I kind of put us out there, unexpectedly…" Draco trailed off grinning sheepishly. He looked up though and saw Neville watching them. He narrowed his gaze slightly and he looked away.

Harry just grinned up at him. "Yeah, but it was awesome and now the big secret is out there and life can move forward," Harry explained.

Hermione grinned and hugged them both. Draco returned the hug hesitantly. She blushed slightly as she stepped back. "Well, then, any problems?" she asked as she moved back into the common room. Harry followed, Draco trailing behind. They sat down on the open couch. Draco leaned against the arm and put one arm on the back of the couch. Harry leaned against him making it very obvious they were together.

Harry glanced around the room at each of the eighth years. The Slytherins looked shocked by what they were seeing as were some of the Gryffindors. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs seemed to be okay with it. "There are a few, but nothing we can't handle," Harry replied coolly.

"I'm going to ask what everyone is wondering. How in the hell did this happen?" Blaise asked.

Draco glared over at him and Blaise gave a placating gesture, looking guilty. "If you must know, Blaise, it happened over the summer, but had been in the making for longer than that."

"And no, I was not coerced, cursed, forced, love potioned, or anything like that," Harry added.

"How do we know that?" Seamus asked.

"You can ask the Minister of Magic if you'd like," Draco offered.

Seamus frowned and looked at Harry in confusion. Harry nodded in agreement with Draco. "They already conducted the interview?" Ron asked in surprise.

Draco snorted. "Of course, they did. It's Harry Potter they're talking about after all," Draco replied.

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head. "We passed with flying colors so it'll be perfectly fine," Harry replied.

Seamus frowned a bit more, but looked thoughtful. "Well, I can't say that I'm surprised. You two were always so wrapped up in one another," he replied with a wink. He laughed as Harry tossed a couch pillow at him. Mostly everyone laughed as well, even the Slytherins.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Finnegan. I want to add, it's about time, as well," Blaise commented quietly.

Draco looked over at him in surprise. "Really?" Blaise nodded. Draco grinned. At least that was several people in their corner. They spent the rest of the morning hanging out and acting as if the biggest development in Hogwarts land hadn't happened that morning.

As lunch time approached, they all started down to the Great Hall together. Draco and Harry were towards the back with Hermione next to them and Ron, Seamus, and Blaise behind them. "Professor McGonagall mentioned that Roberts wasn't pleased this morning," Harry commented quietly.

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, he was really pissed off. I don't know why it matters about you two, but it clearly bothered him," she replied.

"She suggested that we should not be by ourselves at any point for awhile," Draco added.

Hermione nodded in agreement. "We've got your back, don't worry," she assured him. Harry looked up at Draco and smiled at him. Draco smiled back, squeezing Harry's hand.

They arrived at the Great Hall and of course, as it happened everywhere they'd been that morning, the Great Hall silenced as they watched the group come in. Harry and Draco walked over to the table and took their seats, not looking at anyone. Lunch was served and eventually conversations started again. That was when Harry looked up and scanned the Great Hall. Evan was staring at them, glaring. Harry narrowed his gaze at him and they locked eyes. Eventually, Evan looked away. Harry shook his head and turned to look at Draco. He had been watching the exchange.

"We need to confront him," he muttered.

"When the time is right," Harry replied.

They ate their lunch and then the post started flying in. Most were making a beeline for Harry and Draco. They looked up nervously. Draco's owls contained several howlers. He sighed as they all dropped in front of him. Some howlers landed in front of Harry as well amongst other mail. They frowned as the howlers all opened at the same time and varying voices started screaming at the two. They didn't understand them since they were all speaking at the same time, but the message was clear. There were several people not pleased with the latest news.

Eventually they stopped howling at them and disappeared. Harry and Draco both looked overwhelmed and could feel everyone staring at them. "Well, we have some non-howlers to look at," Harry pointed out gesturing to the pile of letters that were between them. Draco laughed and nodded.

They finished their lunch, people still staring, and gathered up their notes. They made their way back to the tower, flanked by most of the eighth years. They went to their room to look over them. Ron, Hermione, Blaise, and Pansy joined them. All of them took the letters and worked on opening them all. They were supportive. Some had come from people that Harry knew like the Weasleys and Andromeda. Others came from people who didn't know them, but supported them regardless.

"Well, I think you have more supporters than not. Of course, I'm sure that this is not the last of these," Pansy commented as she tossed her last letter on the pile. She let out a breath and shook her head.

Draco was sitting on the couch and Harry was leaning against him, Draco's arm draped around his shoulder. "Maybe they'll die down once the Minister makes a statement about his interview," Draco said hopefully.

"One can hope," Harry commented. He yawned and closed his eyes for a moment. Hermione watched as Draco glanced down at him in concern. She blushed at the stolen moment between the two.

"Ron, weren't you planning to finish your essay today?" she asked. He looked over at her in annoyance and groaned. She inclined her head towards Harry and he nodded his understanding. Blaise and Pansy also took their cue and left. Draco looked up at them.

"Thanks for the support," he said to them sincerely.

"Anytime, mate," Blaise called out. The other three nodded and left. Draco sighed and held Harry closer to him. He felt better about things with them, but there was still something nagging in the back of his mind, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was. It was a foreboding feeling though. He didn't like it at all.

 **XXXX**

A week later, in the middle of October with fall becoming more prevalent, Draco and Harry found themselves on the pitch alone. The week had been eventful as the news broke of the results of the interview conducted by the Minister of Magic himself. Things seemed to have calmed down after that and people didn't bother them as much. Also that week, they had heard that Evan had gone home for some family emergency so he wasn't even there. Draco couldn't help, but feel relieved at him being gone. They felt comfortable enough to be out alone. It was easier now for them and Harry and Draco were both pleased.

They released the snitch and flew up into the air. It was Friday and tomorrow was a Hogsmeade day and Harry could go this time. Before they set about looking for the snitch, they both took in the fresh, crisp air. The sun was almost setting and the colors in the sky were of pinks, purples, and orange. It was beautiful.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Harry commented.

"Definitely," Draco replied.

They watched as the sky darkened some more. The sun was hovering on the horizon. Harry watched for a moment, but caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. The snitch was flitting around nearby. He grinned as he whipped around Draco and took off after the snitch. Draco yelled out in surprise as the spell of the setting sun was broken. He followed after Harry, cursing him for distracting him so easily. He could hear Harry's laughter float behind him to Draco's ears. Draco couldn't help, but smile at him.

They chased each other for nearly an hour before they finally made their successful dive after the snitch. Draco pulled ahead of him, reached out, and snatched it right out of the air. Harry laughed and pulled out of the dive. He turned and landed nearby. He watched as Draco flew around celebrating his catch. Harry watched him, laughing.

Finally, Draco landed, triumphant smile in place, and his fist held high. "I feel like music should be playing for you right now," Harry teased.

Draco just laughed and kept on celebrating. It was the first time, in a long time that he had seen Draco laughing the way he was. It made him love him even more. Draco stopped after a few more minutes and secured the snitch back in its box. He blushed as he stood up. "Sorry, I may or may not have over celebrated. I've never beaten you to the snitch," he said as he stood in front of Harry.

Harry closed the distance between them and kissed him gently. "I don't mind at all," he said as he stepped back.

Draco grinned further and kissed him again. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and pulled him against him. It had been awhile since they'd been alone and it was nearing dinner time. Harry pulled him closer, pushing against him. Draco broke away, burying his face in his neck.

"You know, the dorm will be empty," Draco suggested, kissing along his jawline.

Harry muttered something incoherently in agreement. Draco laughed and they hurried off to the castle. They came through the doors, hand in hand, and made a beeline for the stairs. They passed Hermione and Ron on their way down.

"Dinner's starting, you guys are going in the wrong direction," Ron pointed out.

Hermione looked between the two and blushed deeply. "I think they're eating in the dorm tonight," she suggested.

Ron looked between the two and then shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said and continued along the way.

"I'll keep him occupied," she offered them quietly.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Another chapter for you all! This is simply a smutty and fluffy chapter. Thank you all for the reviews and follows. Enjoy!**

 **PS. The next chapter will be posted later today and it's one you've been waiting for... maybe...**

Harry and Draco laughed and nodded as they continued up the steps. They made it to their dorm and as soon as they stepped in and shut the door, they were already on each other, kissing each other, and trying to take off each other's clothes at the same time. It wasn't working very well and they both laughed. They broke apart, Harry cast a strong locking and silencing charm on the door, and then he stepped over to Draco whose shirt was nearly unbuttoned and his trousers were nearly unbuckled.

He grinned up at him as he finished unbuttoning it for him. He opened Draco's shirt and looked down at his chest. There were small scars all over it. He brushed his fingers gently over them and then he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to each scar he found. Draco was panting by the time he was done. He looked up at him and gasped at the lustful look in Draco's eyes. It sent all the blood to one place. Harry pushed the shirt off his shoulders and then lifted his arms so that Draco could remove his shirt. Draco looked down at Harry's chest, more scarred than his own and started to give him the same treatment.

He slid his fingers down to Harry's jeans and unbuttoned them, sliding them down his legs. Harry watched him, his heart racing, and his breath coming out quickly. Draco slipped his own trousers off and once they were standing in just their pants, they went back to kissing each other and making their way to the bed.

Draco settled over Harry, kissing him deeply. It had been weeks since they'd had any time alone for this kind of intimacy. Draco left his lips, and kissed a path across Harry's jaw and down his neck and to his shoulder. Harry arched into him, bringing some much needed pressure to their arousals. Draco kissed a path down Harry's chest, giving him the same attention that Harry had done for him. Once he got to Harry's arousal, he stopped and looked at him.

"I want to be inside you," Draco whispered.

Harry's eyes widened, but he nodded. Draco smiled in assurance and slipped Harry's pants down and away. Draco's eyes widened at the sight, even though he had seen Harry this way many times. For some reason, it was different this time. He looked up at him and their eyes locked. He felt a sudden rush of emotion pass between them and he felt even more in love with him than he had ever felt. He looked away, unwilling to ruin the moment because he was feeling overly emotional. Something nagged in the back of his mind, but he ignored it. They were in the moment right now and he wasn't going to mess that up.

He refocused on Harry's entrance, preparing him for him. He was careful since Harry hadn't ever been on the receiving end of this before. He knew how it felt for him so he knew that he needed to be careful for him.

He started with one finger, stretching him. Harry writhed beneath him and of course, like all things that Harry was great at, he opened up for him. Draco nearly came at how wanton he looked, riding his fingers with reckless abandon.

"Geez, Potter, is there anything you're not good at?" Draco growled, using Harry's surname for added effect.

Harry laughed. "Being patient," he replied.

Draco grinned. He felt that Harry was more than ready for him so he sat back and lubed himself up. He gave himself a few strokes. He looked up and saw Harry watching him, his eyes glazed over and biting his lip. _Merlin_. Draco thought. He reached for Harry's legs to lift him up so that he could enter him, but Harry just shook his head at him. Draco frowned in confusion.

"I want to try something," he said quietly. Harry sat up. Draco watched him. He gestured for Draco to lean against their headboard. Draco did as he was told. Harry settled in his lap, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. Draco's eyes widened at how close they were. His heart started pounding again. Harry pushed himself up on his knees and hovered over Draco's prominent cock. Harry captured Draco's lips in a kiss as he slowly went down on him. He went slowly, carefully, and once fully sheathed he gasped at the feeling of Draco inside him.

He screwed his eyes closed, breathing deeply, trying to relax his channel. It came soon enough and when he opened his eyes, they locked with deep gray eyes, full of arousal. "Salazar, Harry, you feel amazing," Draco said breathlessly. Harry simply nodded, unsure of how his voice would sound at that moment.

He lifted up to nearly off Draco and went back down slowly. Draco groaned and closed his eyes. Harry kissed him deeply as he started moving up and down him again. Draco had his hands at Harry's hips, guiding him. He looked up and met Harry's now dark green eyes. They held each other's gaze as Harry started to increase the pace. Draco and Harry maintained eye contact, the intimacy nearly overwhelming. Draco knew he was going to come soon and as soon as Harry shifted just so, Draco's cock hitting his prostate, Harry cried out, coming all over Draco's stomach. His channel constricted, tightening around Draco. Draco bit his lip, moaning as he came.

They breathed heavily, foreheads resting against each other. Both their eyes were closed. Both were feeling overly emotional at the intimacy they shared. Draco slid out of Harry, but neither of them bothered to move. They wouldn't move until they calmed their breathing and calmed their emotions. Both felt something nagging at them, but they both ignored it. Neither one wanted to acknowledge the premonition. Something needed to be resolved. They weren't sure what that something was.

Finally, Harry spoke. "I can't define what I'm feeling right now, but that was so…." he trailed off, unable to find the words.

"Yeah, me too," Draco replied. His mind was muddled. He didn't think he could love Harry any more than he already did, but obviously that was not true at all. He could always love Harry more than he did in each moment that passed.

"I feel like I love you more than I did before we started this," Harry gestured between them. He sat back and looked at Draco whose eyes had lightened back to their icy blue gray color.

"Can you read my mind? I was just thinking the same thing. I didn't know that was possible," Draco replied.

Harry chuckled. He got off of Draco and reached for his wand. He was about to cast a cleansing charm, but instead he grinned. "Care to shower with me?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows.

Draco lifted one brow and grinned. "Sounds interesting," he replied as he got up from the bed and followed Harry into the shower. He imagined they weren't going to do anything physical, but taking a shower with Harry seemed like a perfectly good idea.

Harry started the shower and waited for it to warm up. He stepped in and then pulled in Draco, right under the stream. He watched as the water slid down his body. Harry bit his lip as he watched a rivulet of water. He watched as Draco lifted his arms to run his hands through his hair to wash it.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," Harry muttered.

Draco moved his head from under the shower. "Why?" he asked in confusion.

"I feel like having you again," Harry replied.

Draco laughed and rolled his eyes. He finished washing his hair while Harry watched. Draco grinned wickedly at Harry as he handed him the soap. Harry's eyes darkened at what Draco was asking him to do. He took the soap, squirting some on his hands. He rubbed them together, creating a nice lather, and he started washing Draco's body, carefully and thoroughly. He took extra care on his package, cleaning him and caressing him. Draco sighed and braced one hand against the wall at Harry's motions. In his mind he was enjoying it fully, but also plotting how he was going to get him back. Harry moved away from his cock reluctantly and finished washing his legs. Once he was finished, Draco rinsed himself off.

They switched places and this time Draco could feel exactly how Harry felt when he first stepped under the shower head. Draco watched Harry's movements, biting his lip just as Harry had done. This was a very bad idea. Harry opened his eyes and saw how dark Draco's eyes had become and he grinned. He handed him the soap and Draco eagerly took it, squirting some on his hands.

He washed Harry carefully, focusing mostly on his arse which eventually caused Harry to slap his hands away and laugh. It was a completely lighthearted and wonderful moment for them to share. It allowed them to extend their reconnection from earlier and just enjoy being together without fear that as soon as they left their room, that anything could happen. They knew that Evan would be back, but they would enjoy the peace while they could.

Harry shut off the shower and accepted the towel that Draco handed him. They dried off and then walked out of the bathroom, towels around their waists. They dressed in their pajamas and Harry set about tapping the apple which made their dinner appear. Draco was busy cleaning up Harry's bed and making it. Once he was finished, he grabbed his plate and joined Harry in the sitting area of their dorm.

"What do you want to do in Hogsmeade tomorrow?" Draco asked after they'd eaten most of their food.

"How about Madam Puddifoot's Tea shop?" Harry teased.

Draco frowned at him. "I really hope you're joking," he replied.

Harry laughed and nodded. "Please, I went there once and will never go back again."

Draco lifted his brow as he tried to remember when. "Ah, yes, with Cho Chang, right?"

Harry shuddered at the thought. "Yes, don't remind me," he replied, covering his face and shaking his head.

Draco laughed. "Pansy tried to drag me there once, but I not so politely refused," he offered.

Harry grinned. "Well, how about we go to The Three Broomsticks then and Honeydukes?"

"Honeydukes is a must. Window shopping, maybe? Christmas will be here before you know it," Draco pointed out.

Harry nodded. They finished their dinner and their dessert. Once their dishes were put near the apple to disappear, they settled in on the couch, Draco snuggling against Harry. Draco was reading a book and Harry was flipping through the latest Quidditch magazine. A fire was blazing in the fireplace, giving the room a nice comfortable and warm feel.

Harry summoned his wand, figuring that Ron would be coming back soon. He unlocked the door and went back to reading. Sure enough, about fifteen minutes later, Ron was back.

"Everyone decent?" he asked as he came in through the door. Harry and Draco both looked over the couch at him and saw that his eyes were covered.

"Of course, Weasley, the door was unlocked after all," Draco drawled.

Ron removed his hand and scowled over at him. "Maybe you forgot to lock it," he muttered.

Harry chuckled. "Nah, mate, I wouldn't do that to you. I'm sure I've scarred you enough as of late," he added.

Ron laughed and shook his head. Draco was back to reading so it was just Harry and Ron looking at each other. Ron looked them both over and just grinned. "I'm going to sound like Mione, but this suits you," he complimented, gesturing between Harry and Draco.

Harry grinned. "Thanks, mate," he replied gratefully. Harry glanced down at Draco who was smiling behind his book.

They spent the rest of the evening hanging out. Mostly Harry and Ron went back and forth about Quidditch stuff while Draco read and interjected every once in awhile. They turned in around eleven. Once the hangings were closed, Draco snuggled into Harry's side again and sighed. Harry kissed the top of his head.

"Good night, love," he whispered.

"Good night, love you," Draco whispered back tiredly.

Harry chuckled and kissed the top of his head again. "Love you, too," Harry whispered.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: So this is the chapter you may or may not have been waiting for... It starts out fun and fluffy and then changes from there. Enjoy!**

The next morning, Draco and Harry joined their friends for breakfast. The other Slytherins were starting to hang out with the Gryffindors more due to the fact that they were split up by Gryffindors and that their two most popular students were dating. It also helped that they were making sure that Draco was safe since at any point, Evan would be back. For now, it was fine though.

After breakfast, the group started down to Hogsmeade. It was a crisp morning. They were all bundled up in coats and scarves. Harry reached out and grabbed Draco's hand. He pulled him towards him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Draco blushed as he caught Blaise and Pansy's eye. They both grinned back and rolled their eyes.

"Are you guys going to go to the Tea Shop?" Blaise teased as they got closer to Hogsmeade.

Draco gagged. "Please," he scoffed.

"Now, honey, don't be like that. You told me last night you wanted to go," Harry joked in a sweet voice.

Draco looked over at him and groaned. "Never, ever, use that voice again or call me honey," he drawled.

Everyone laughed. "Sure, babe," Harry said back.

Draco stopped short as the group continued on. Harry turned to look at him in confusion. "Now that, you can call me, but not around people."

Harry grinned. "Alright. Come on, let's catch up with them."

Draco took Harry's hand again, linking their fingers together. They caught up with everyone else and made their way towards Honeydukes. Harry glanced around and caught sight of a shop that piqued his interest. He started thinking about how he was going to get away for a moment to check it out.

As soon as they stepped into Honeydukes, Draco let go of Harry's hand and made a beeline for a display of chocolates. Harry chuckled and caught Hermione's attention. "Can you keep him occupied for a bit?" Harry asked her quietly.

She looked up at him and followed his line of sight. Draco seemed to be closely examining each box of chocolate. "I think he'll keep himself well and distracted, but I'll do my best. Where are you going?" she replied.

"I'm going over to the jewelry shop. Early Christmas shopping," he answered.

She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Are you…." she trailed off as her mind processed this.

Harry looked over at Draco again and smiled. "I'll see you later," he said as he slipped out of the sweet shop.

He jogged over to the jewelry shop and walked in. The jeweler looked up from her work and was set to greet him. When she saw who it was, she brightened further. "Mister Potter, what a surprise!" she exclaimed as she walked over to him, hand outstretched.

"Hello, how are you today?" he greeted as he shook her hand.

"Oh, I am just swell today. Even better now that I have the famous Harry Potter in my shop," she enthused.

Harry wanted to roll his eyes at her enthusiasm, but as he usually did, he just smiled. "That's wonderful. I'd like to look around for a bit if you don't mind. I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for, but I'm confident it will jump out at me," he said. She nodded encouragingly and stepped back to what she was working on.

Harry walked slowly past the cases. There were necklaces, pendants, earrings, watches, and rings in abundance. Harry felt a bit overwhelmed and he was wondering if maybe he wasn't quite ready for this, but then his eyes settled on a set of rings and his mind immediately changed. They were all Celtic symbols it looked like and one in particular caught his attention. It was silver with a blue-gray base that looked very similar to Draco's eyes. The symbol seemed interesting as well.

"Excuse me, what can you tell me about this one right here?" Harry asked, gesturing to the ring. She scurried over and unlocked the case, pulling it out. She took it out and handed it to Harry. He looked it over and felt it's warmth in his hand. He expected it to be cool. He frowned slightly in surprise.

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

Harry looked up at her and saw an expectant look on her face. "It's really warm. I expected it to be cold," he replied.

She smiled broadly. "Your other half is Draco Malfoy, correct?" she asked. She didn't say it with mirth.

"Yes," Harry replied quietly. He found the ring to be mesmerizing.

"Draco means dragon. This symbol, the one that wraps around the ring, is the Celtic symbol for dragon. It is a one of a kind ring and it is my understanding that the person that should purchase it will feel the warmth of the dragon's fire," she replied sincerely.

Harry thought for a moment, wondering if it was hogwash. It warmed further in his palm, almost to burning and he figured that it was probably a sign that she was telling the truth. "I'll take it," he replied.

She smiled brightly. "That ring has been in my shop for decades. Many have come and admired it, but none have felt its affects until you. Would you like it inscribed?"

Harry thought for awhile longer. "Magic brought us together. Love will carry us on," he told her. She smiled and nodded. She took the ring carefully from his palm and walked over to her work bench. Harry moved over to watch her. She took out a tool and attached it to her wand. She waved her wand, muttering under her breath. After a moment, she looked pleased and handed the ring back to Harry. He looked at the inscription and smiled. "Thank you," he said quietly.

"You're very welcome. Here, put it in this pouch. You're a brave young man, Mister Potter. I'm pleased that you will finally be able to have a life you deserve," she replied. Harry put the ring in the pouch, paid her, and smiled kindly to her. He pocketed the pouch and started for the door. He hustled across the street and slipped into the sweet shop. Hermione appeared to be losing her ability to distract Draco. Luckily, he arrived just in time and managed to hustle up some chocolate frogs and a box of chocolates. Draco's eyes settled on him and he seemed to immediately relax.

He moved over to him. "Where were you hiding at?" he demanded as he approached him. Harry glanced at Hermione. She looked apologetic.

"I was checking out the chocolates down here," Harry said as he pointed to the chocolates near the ground.

Draco looked down, frowning. "You're a horrible liar, Harry Potter," he responded.

Harry sighed. "Fine. I had to slip away to get you a Christmas present," he replied with a shrug.

Draco's mood immediately changed. Harry smiled slightly, knowing that revealing that would change his mood. He remembered many times seeing Draco's face when he received a gift from his mother. "A present?" he inquired.

Harry laughed. "Yes, a present. Do you forgive me?"

Draco looked at him thoughtfully. "Perhaps," he replied. Harry stepped towards him, closing the gap between them. He tipped his head up, hovering close to Draco's lips. Draco's eyes widened and he gasped quietly at the closeness. Harry kissed him softly.

"How about now?" he whispered. They had an audience, but neither of them seemed to notice. He brushed his fingers against his hand, brushing his fingers along his palm.

Draco's eyes clouded over and he closed them slowly. "Yes," he whispered. Harry squeezed his hand and moved away from him. Those who had been watching could feel the burning desire radiating off the two. A few cleared their throats and looked away, trying to shake off the feeling. Draco and Harry seemed to not notice what was happening around them. Draco turned and followed Harry down the aisle to the register to make his purchases.

They left the sweet shop with their friends and made their way to The Three Broomsticks. On the way there, their group stopped short. Harry and Draco were behind them and they looked up in surprise. The group tightened around them. Jesse and Patrick were standing near the pub with a few other Ravenclaws.

Jesse and Patrick approached. Wands dropped into hands as they watched the two approach. Jesse spoke first. "We're sorry," he said.

Harry looked at them in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"Look, we didn't realize that he would go that far. If we had, we would have warned you or stopped being around him or both. Evan, well, he is very troubled since his brother disappeared. We didn't realize it was that bad," Jesse elaborated.

"He is sincerely mistaken if he thinks it's my fault for his missing brother. I had nothing to do with it," Draco replied.

Patrick nodded. "He's looking for someone to blame. You're the easiest target," he responded with a shrug.

"Yeah, well, it doesn't make it right," Harry seethed.

Jesse and Patrick took a step back. They put their hands up in a placating gesture. "I think he's an idiot for messing with Malfoy especially since everyone knows you're together. He'll figure it out eventually," Patrick assured them.

Harry shook his head. "Somehow, I don't believe that. We appreciate your apology though. Excuse us," Harry said. He moved through their group, Draco and the rest of their friends trailing behind as they entered the pub. They made their way to a booth in the corner near the window. Ron and Blaise went to get drinks for the group. Harry was scowling and visibly still worked up from the interaction with Jesse and Patrick. Draco put an arm around his shoulders, trying to calm him down.

"Hey, it's okay, don't worry about it. He can't do much else if he doesn't have his goons flanking him. Trust me, I know," he tried.

Harry sighed and buried his face in his hands. "I know. I just want this to be over," he whispered. Draco glanced at Hermione who was looking at Harry with a worried expression. He glanced over at Pansy who looked uneasy as well. Draco turned back to Harry and leaned over, pressing a kiss to the shell of his ear.

"It'll be okay. Isn't that what you always tell me?" he whispered. Harry nodded. Draco kissed him again and then moved slightly away. Ron and Blaise returned with their drinks and passed them around. Draco removed his arm from Harry's shoulder and took a generous sip of his drink.

They spent the next couple of hours talking about whatever came to mind. Harry slowly relaxed during that time and by the end was laughing and joking with everyone. Draco was relieved and started to settle in as well. Around two, they were ready to head back to the castle. They started back, Harry and Draco trailing behind.

"Hey, do you want to head down to the lake when we get back?" Harry suggested.

Draco looked over at him. He grinned. "Back to where it all started," he joked.

Harry laughed. "Technically that would be Myrtle's bathroom," he teased.

Draco shook his head. "The lake is a much more romantic place to be," he pointed out.

When they arrived back at the castle, Harry and Draco separated from their friends and headed down to the lake. They watched them a bit worriedly, but as far as they knew, Evan was still gone so they should be safe enough.

Harry and Draco made it down to the lake, settling in under the tree that they had sat at in the beginning of their relationship. Draco gripped his hand. He brought it up to his lips and kissed the back of his hand. Harry smiled over at him.

"That was a mostly enjoyable morning," Harry commented.

"I think it was pretty successful. It's not every day that three Gryffindors and three Slytherins can enjoy a Hogsmeade weekend together and not come to blows," Draco pointed out.

Harry laughed. He pulled his knees up and released Draco's hand as he placed his arms on his knees. He set his head on his folded arms and looked over at Draco. "I love you, you know that, right?"

Draco frowned at him unsure of where he was going with this. "Of course, you know I love you, right?" he repeated.

Harry nodded. "Of course. I just, I can't wait for this nonsense to be over. I'm sorry that you have to deal with this," he replied.

"It's not your fault. My father is to blame for this as is Roberts's brother. It'll work itself out," Draco assured him.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I know. I just hope it's sooner rather than later," he replied.

They sat in silence for a long while just listening to the wind blow through the trees and the sounds of nature. Draco wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders, pulling him close to him. Harry settled in against him and sighed.

A rustle was heard to their left. Harry turned to look, wondering if an animal was approaching. He didn't see anything. He turned away and leaned up to kiss Draco's cheek. Draco turned and caught his lips before he could turn away. This time they heard a stick snap. Harry turned and stood up, Draco right behind him.

"Is someone there?" he called out. He pulled his wand from his pocket and raised it. There was no response. He frowned as he stepped forward. He stopped his approach, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Draco reached out and gripped Harry's shirt, pulling him back towards him.

"Let's go. This doesn't feel right," he whispered. Harry nodded and backed up to leave. That's when someone cried out.

" _Separabunt_!" they cried. Draco watched as if in slow motion as a jet of red light flew with impressive speed at Harry, hitting him directly in the arm. Harry cried out, clutching at his arm. Draco looked from Harry to the caster and he saw Evan stepping out of the thicket of bushes. Draco immediately disarmed him and then stupefied him, sending him spiraling backwards, out cold.

Draco scrambled to grab Evan's wand. He placed it in his pocket, the one connected to Harry, and cast the spell immediately. He knew that it would be a matter of moments that Professor McGonagall would be down there.

He scrambled back to Harry and looked down at his arm. His arm lay limply against his chest. Harry was crying and blood was gushing from the wound. Draco took his jacket off and started to take his shirt off. He growled in frustration as his scarf interfered. He looked up when he sensed someone watching him. Jesse and Patrick were standing on the path that led up to the castle looking shocked.

"Don't just fucking stand there! Help me!" Draco cried.

Jesse snapped to attention first and ran down to them. Draco wound the scarf above the cut, trying to stem the bleeding. Jesse was applying pressure to the cut with Draco's shirt. "Cast a patronus, Patrick! Send it to Madam Pomfrey!" Jesse ordered.

Patrick did as he was told and sent it away. Within a minute of all of this happening, Professor McGonagall apparated to the scene looking grim. She took one look at what was happening and knew that Draco did what he had to do. She settled on him and she gasped. Tears were streaming down his cheeks as he held Harry in his lap and applied pressure with one hand. Harry had passed out at some point either from the pain or the blood loss.

Madam Pomfrey popped into existence and cried out at the sight. She went to work and began mending the cut. "What was the spell?" she asked.

"Separabunt," Patrick replied. Madam Pomfrey gasped, but renewed her mending.

Draco looked up at him. "Did you see what happened?" he demanded through his tears.

They both nodded. "We'll need those memories," Professor McGonagall replied.

She fished out two vials. Patrick and Jesse agreed and allowed her to perform the spell to remove the memories. "Mister Malfoy, you have to come with me," she said calmly.

Draco shook his head, crying even harder than he had been. "What was I to do? He didn't even get the chance to defend himself," Draco cried.

"I understand, Mister Malfoy, but I am required to turn you over to the aurors. They'll investigate and I'm sure that they will see that you did what you had to do and you'll be back here before you know it," Professor McGonagall assured him.

"I can't leave Harry. I can't," he muttered.

Madam Pomfrey looked up at him. "Mister Malfoy, Harry is mended now. He needs some blood replenishing potions, pain potions, and some infection fighter. He'll make a full recovery. We'll get word to you when he is up and about. Please, just go with Professor McGonagall" she encouraged.

Draco sniffled. He leaned down, kissing Harry's forehead. "I love you," he whispered.

He stood, turning Harry over to Madam Pomfrey. Professor McGonagall had Evan bound and floating unconscious behind her. He watched as Madam Pomfrey apparated herself and Harry away. Draco started up the path, tears still streaming down his cheeks. Professor McGonagall followed behind as well as Jesse and Patrick.

When they arrived at the castle, aurors were already waiting at the door. Professor McGonagall sighed and looked at them. Their eyes widened at the sight. "He had no choice," she told them. They nodded slightly and Draco stepped towards them. He held his hands out in front of him, handing over his wand. They bound his hands and apparated away with him.

Professor McGonagall settled on the group that was near the door. Hermione and Ron looked at her in confusion. Blaise and Pansy looked at her in a similar way. "Mister Potter is in the hospital wing. Mister Malfoy violated his probation defending Harry," Professor McGonagall said sadly.

Their eyes widened. "Where is he going?" Blaise asked.

"Azkaban," Professor McGonagall replied.


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Here's a mid-week update. I hope you all enjoy! I'm working on another story (I've got two one-shots waiting) and I'm not sure if it's going to be a multi-chapter or one-shot. We'll see. Thank you for the reviews and follows :)**

Harry's arm felt like it was on fire. His body ached and he couldn't manage to get his eyes to open. Something wasn't right. Something was missing. Something was wrong. He tried to open his eyes again, but he couldn't. He cried out and then he was out, practically floating away in the ocean.

Hermione and Ron sat on one side while Blaise and Pansy sat on the other. Hermione was gripping Harry's hand and worrying her lip. Everything that Harry had experienced, they had seen. Hermione felt tears slide down her cheeks.

"Draco is probably losing his mind," Pansy muttered.

"I can't believe this happened. That it escalated to this," Blaise added.

"Where did Roberts go?" Ron questioned.

"Professor McGonagall sent them with some other aurors. How is Draco going to get out of this?" Hermione questioned. She choked on a sob and wiped at her eyes.

"He didn't do anything wrong! He had to defend them! It would have gone so much more badly if he hadn't done what he did. Draco can't go to Azkaban. He doesn't belong there. I can't believe I'm saying this, but he belongs here, with Potter. Those two, I just, I'm not even in the relationship and their love for each other is so unbelievably overwhelming. It's just not fair," Pansy said, sobbing quietly.

Professor McGonagall came in then. She looked at the five students and felt tears prickling at her eyes. They had been through so much. Relief had to be close, didn't it? She cleared her throat. Ron and Blaise looked over at her, but Pansy and Hermione were too lost in their emotions to acknowledge her. "How is Mister Potter?" she asked quietly.

Ron shrugged. "He hasn't woken up. He cried out earlier and looked like he was in pain. Any word from the Ministry?"

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "None yet. Please, let me know when he wakes up. I want to be sure that Draco knows," she said quietly. She turned and left them to hold vigil over him.

 **XXXX**

Draco sat in a holding cell at Azkaban. He wasn't quite in the main part of the prison, but he was closer than he ever wanted to be. He felt sick with worry. Not for himself, but for Harry. He had no idea what was going on with him. He had to hold on to what Madam Pomfrey had said. She had assured him that Harry would be alright. He had to keep repeating that to himself. If Harry wasn't alright, if he died, there was no reason to fight being in Azkaban. He'd serve his time and then get out and waste away. Life wouldn't be worth it if anything happened to Harry.

He pushed that thought away or at least tried really hard to. Madam Pomfrey said Harry would be alright. He had to believe that. He looked around his cell and started to cry again. It was probably the ancient magic that was still a part of the prison from the dementors and he couldn't quite shake it.

He lost track of time, but at some point, his cell door opened and he looked up to see his family's solicitor. "They contacted my mother?" he asked. The solicitor nodded. "How is she?"

"She's quite upset. Mostly because you're here of course and she doesn't know what happened yet. Come along. Let's see what we can do to get you out of here," he replied.

Draco nodded and stood up. He followed him down the hallway. They must be in a minimum security part of the prison. He glanced in the cells that he went by and stopped short. A familiar head of blond hair was sitting at a desk in a cell. "Father?" Draco asked.

The person's head shot up and he turned slowly around. Draco gasped as he looked upon his father. He had only been in Azkaban for five months and he looked as if he'd been there for years. He walked towards the cell door.

"Draco, what are you doing here?" he demanded. His mind was still clear so at least he had that to look forward to.

"I was defending myself and Harry," he replied.

Lucius's eyes widened. "Your mother has written me about her joy of your current relationship. Is he alright?" he asked sincerely.

Draco frowned. "Like you care," he replied snidely.

Lucius looked down in front of him and sighed. "I do care. It sounds like you are very much in love with Mister Potter. If he's hurt, I care because you care for him. I imagine that whatever has happened involves me somehow," Lucius commented.

"Yes," Draco replied.

"Mister Malfoy, we need to discuss what our next steps are going to be," his solicitor reminded him. Draco nodded and looked at his father once more before he followed his solicitor down the hall. His father looked sincerely apologetic and somehow Draco believed him.

 **XXXX**

Harry started to come to about ten o'clock. He didn't feel too horrible, but he still felt like something wasn't right. He opened his eyes and looked around the dimly lit room. "Draco," he croaked out.

"Oh, Mister Potter, settle down. Here," Madam Pomfrey said as she gave him some water. Harry took it gratefully, but laid back and looked at her worriedly.

"Where's Draco?" he asked, more clearly.

"He's safe," she replied simply.

"But he's not here. He would be here if he were safe," Harry insisted.

She sighed. "He's at Azkaban," she replied quietly.

Harry sat up, pain shooting through his entire body. He cried out and lay back down. He felt tears coming to his eyes. "He didn't do anything! Someone cast that curse at me! Draco was protecting us!" Harry yelled. He slammed his good fist into the bed and continued to sob. Madam Pomfrey left his bedside to inform Professor McGonagall that he was awake. When she came back, she had a calming draught that Harry took reluctantly. By the time he was calm enough, Professor McGonagall had arrived.

"Tell me what happened," he whispered when she came into view.

"From what I understand, Mister Roberts cursed you and Draco disarmed and stunned him immediately after," she replied.

"And he was sent to Azkaban for that?" Harry asked in disbelief.

She nodded. "He wasn't in the classroom. He was by the lake and although they are defensive spells, they were done outside the classroom, therefore he violated his probation. The aurors have Draco's memories as well as The Andrews' cousins. He won't be there long, I'm sure. They also have Mister Roberts," she explained.

Harry shook his head. "They won't let him out until they know for sure that he was not at fault for anything that happened. Who knows how long that will take."

Professor McGonagall sighed. "I'm sorry, Harry. I really am. I'll be sure to get word to Draco that you are awake and that you'll be alright," she told him sincerely.

He nodded absently, but looked away from her. It was then that he noticed that his left arm was strapped to his chest. He sighed and closed his eyes. His heart hurt and he couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't going to be seeing Draco for a long time.

 **XXXX**

Harry was released from the hospital two days later. He walked up to his room with Hermione and Ron. He felt like it was that month after the war. He felt completely shattered. He hadn't heard from Draco at all and no one was telling him a single thing about what was happening to him. Harry walked into their shared dorm and glanced around. He felt like he had been gut punched as he looked at Draco's stuff and his bed. Harry walked over and leaned down to pick up his pants from Friday. He picked them up and reached into the magical pocket. He felt something hard meet his fingers.

He took them out in surprise and then reached back in. He pulled out a wand that he didn't recognize. Inside there was also a note.

 _Harry, Merlin, I hope you're alright. I'm on my way to Azkaban. I'm sorry. I couldn't just let him get away with this. This is Roberts's wand. I couldn't risk it being tampered with. It probably wasn't my brightest choice, but the risk is too high. I hope I see you soon. I love you, so much…._

The letter trailed off. Harry took the wand and opened up his nightstand. He saw the journal sitting on top. He pulled it out. The dorm door opened and Ron was coming in followed by Hermione. Hermione was carrying a case of potions that Harry needed to take while Ron was carrying several books and magazines.

"You're set for awhile, Harry. You need to rest," Hermione commented as she set his stuff down, taking the books from Ron. She looked over at Harry and looked confused. "That's not your wand," she commented as she came closer.

"I know," he replied.

"Is it Draco's?" she asked in confusion.

"No, it's Roberts's," he answered quietly.

"How do you have it?" she asked, sitting down next to him.

"Draco sent it through the pocket after he disarmed him. He didn't want it to be tampered with. Fuck, this can't be good," he whispered.

Hermione shook her head. "As long as you don't cast any spells with it, they'll check it for its last spell and see that it was from Roberts. It will have his signature as well. What else do you have there?"

Harry took the journal and handed it to her. She looked it over and opened it. Her eyes widened as she scanned the pages. "Narcissa sent it to us. I'm not sure how she had it or who she got it from."

"You have to get both of these to the aurors. This will surely give Evan more than enough motive to attack you. I'm going to make copies of this, just in case," she added. She walked over to the desk and made quick work of copying each page. Harry sighed and lay down. He missed Draco immensely. It reminded him of when he was gone during seventh year only this time it was so much worse.

Ron walked over and sat down next to him. "Listen, mate, Malfoy will be back before you know it. I know it seems horrible right now and that you don't see it getting any better, but it will."

Harry looked at him and shook his head. "Merlin, listen to me. Moaning and groaning about my boyfriend being stuck in Azkaban temporarily when my best friend is still mourning the loss of his brother. I'm a git."

Ron shrugged. "It's not the same thing," he replied quietly.

Harry pushed himself up with one arm. He growled in annoyance at how difficult it was. He reached out and patted Ron's shoulder. Ron just smiled at him.

"Let's take this to McGonagall," Hermione said briskly. She set off for the door. Harry and Ron followed. They made their way through the castle. They arrived at the entrance to her office. It slid open and all three stepped onto the spiraling stair case.

When they got to the top, Professor McGonagall was kneeling in front of the fireplace. "Yes, Missus Malfoy, Harry is just fine. He was released from the hospital wing this morning. I will be sure to pass along your message," she said.

"What message?" Harry asked as he stepped over to the fireplace. Professor McGonagall startled at their presence.

"Harry, oh, thank goodness. I just wanted to tell you that I spoke with our solicitor this morning and he said that he is sure that Draco won't be in Azkaban much longer. They are just trying to find a more solid motive for Mister Roberts's actions," she replied.

"Is he alright?" he asked.

Narcissa kept her expression neutral, but Harry couldn't ignore the worry in her eyes. "He is well enough, I'm told," she replied.

Harry closed his eyes and nodded. "Tell him that I got his message and that I'm working on things on this end," he replied. He turned and stepped out of view. Narcissa wanted to question him further, but she could tell that she didn't want to talk any longer. She cut her connection from Professor McGonagall with a hasty good-bye.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Another chapter for you all. Only five more to go. I'm thinking I'll finish it up this weekend... What do you guys think? Thank you for the reviews and follows!**

"What more do you have in regards to this?" she asked as she turned, but did not get up from the ground.

"Draco gave Harry the wand that Roberts used and he has a journal that belonged to his brother that Narcissa sent him," Hermione explained.

"How?" she asked.

"Draco sent it through our magical pockets right after he stunned him. As far as the journal goes, I'm unsure how Narcissa got it, but it clearly shows that what happened to his brother had nothing to do with the Malfoys," Harry replied.

She nodded. She reached for the floo powder and called out for the auror department. The auror that was handling Draco's case appeared. "Mister Potter has some more information for the case," she told him.

"Send it through," he said briskly.

Harry walked over. "I'd rather come through with it and give it to you. I would also like to speak with Evan Roberts and see Draco," he requested.

The auror looked up at him and bristled at his request. "You can't just demand these things just because you're Harry Potter," he replied heatedly.

"I'm not using my name to get something that I want. I'm simply requesting that I speak with Roberts and that I see Draco. I have just as much right as anyone else to ask the boy who injured me why he did it. Let me through, please," he requested again.

The auror sighed and looked behind him. "Very well, then. I'm sure the Minister will have my job if I don't allow this," he commented snidely. Harry growled as he stepped into the fireplace. He flooed over to the aurors office and tumbled out. He nearly lost his balance which would have been not good at all. Luckily, the auror was kind enough to steady him.

"Kingsley is not the type to take someone's job away from them just like that," Harry commented. He handed the auror Evan's wand, but he held on firmly to the journal. "I need this for when I talk to Roberts," he replied.

The auror sighed and left the office, leading the way to the holding cells in the Ministry. Several Ministry officials looked on in surprise as they watched Harry move through their department. They watched him curiously, wondering what he was doing there.

The auror arrived at Evan's holding cell. "Go into conference room one and I'll bring him to you," he said.

Harry nodded and he set off in the direction the auror had pointed. He sat down in the seat across from the seat he imagined the prisoner would sit at. There was a metal loop that looked as if it would hold shackles. Sure enough, when the auror brought Evan in, he attached him to the metal loop. He closed the door, but stayed in the room with them.

Evan looked up and met Harry's glare. His eyes widened in surprise. "Weren't expecting me to live?" Harry questioned.

Evan's eyes widened further and he shook his head fearfully. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"I wanted to show you something. You seem hard pressed to believe that Draco is at fault for whatever happened to your brother," Harry began.

Evan snarled at him. "You have no idea what you're talking about! My brother went unwillingly with them. He died because of them!" he cried.

Harry lifted his eyebrow. "How do you know he died?" he asked. He knew, based on Narcissa's comment about him that he probably had died.

"I was gone this week because they found him, what was left of him anyway," he seethed.

Harry frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that," he replied.

"I don't need your pity!" he yelled.

Harry sighed and stared at him for several moments. He opened the journal and turned it so that Evan could see it. He looked down and then jerked his head up in shock. He looked back down again and read the first entry. He looked up again, glaring at Harry. "How in the hell did you get this?" he demanded.

"It was left in the possession of someone who thought it might be pertinent to the case against you. It details everything that your brother did for the Death Eaters and Voldemort. Everything that he _willingly_ did for them. He _wanted_ to go with them and work with them. Do you want to know why your brother is dead?" Harry asked him.

Evans shook his head. Tears started sliding down his cheeks. "It was because of the Malfoys, I know it was."

Harry shook his head. He flipped through the journal and opened up to the last passage. He pushed it towards Evan who looked down and reluctantly read it. He shook his head in disbelief and he started to cry more. He hung his head.

"I screwed up. Merlin, I screwed up!" he wailed.

"You're damn right you screwed up," Harry muttered.

Evan looked up at him, looking completely shattered. "I had no idea that he went willingly or that he was going to try to pull one over on You-Know-Who. If I had just known this…." he trailed off, looking away from Harry.

"You wouldn't be facing attempted murder and know that an innocent man was sitting in Azkaban because he was defending me?" Harry replied.

Evan looked back over at him. "I thought that his father did all this. I thought he was to blame. I couldn't touch him so I went after his son. I should have just accepted that his father was in Azkaban and that he was serving time for his crimes. I just couldn't though. How was it fair that Malfoy was able to skip out on Azkaban because Harry Potter spoke for him at his trial and my brother was missing….dead…." he whispered the last part.

Harry sighed. He was starting to feel bad for Evan. "Look, I spoke up for Draco because he did save me from Voldemort when snatchers brought me and my friends to his house and gave me the wand that helped defeat Voldemort. I spoke up for his mother because she told Voldemort that I was dead when I wasn't. They were both a key to us winning the war. I couldn't have defeated him without their help. My feelings may have been different in relation to Draco then, but everything that I testified to was the truth. I did not use my name to get the man that I fell for out of Azkaban. I knew that I had information that would spare him and his mother. I wasn't going to let him go to prison without all the facts out there. That's exactly what I'm going to do now. Draco will not go to prison. The facts are right here in front of us. Your motive is right here," Harry paused as he tapped the journal with his good hand. "Your wand is in auror custody and they will see that you cast that curse on me. You are not going to get away with this, Roberts. However, I get where your anger is coming from and I hope that you will get the help you need to get through this," Harry continued.

Evan's eyes widened as Harry went along. "You're hoping that I go to Azkaban?" he asked quietly.

Harry shrugged which caused him to wince from the pain. "I hope that you get the help you need and the sentence you deserve. I understand you're angry, but you went about this all in a very wrong way. Your brother did this to himself. The Malfoys had nothing to do with it. All these truths will come out and Draco will get out of Azkaban," Harry replied.

Evan shook his head rapidly, tears coming to his eyes. "I'm only fifteen years old. I made a mistake. I know I need help, but Azkaban is not the answer. Potter, please, I'm sorry for all of this," he cried.

Harry stood and frowned at him. "I can see that. Good luck to you," he said. He walked around the table and left the room. The auror who had been in the room with them looked at Harry in surprise and respect. Harry walked past the holding cells and went into the waiting area. He could hear Evan sobbing as the auror took him back to his holding cell. A few minutes later, the auror came into the waiting room.

"Charge him with assault and get him grief counseling and probation. At least recommend it anyway," Harry said quietly.

The auror looked at him in surprise. "He tried to kill you," he reminded him.

Harry nodded. "The charm was a severing charm. It wasn't the killing curse. Evan needs help and he's right, Azkaban isn't the answer. I get where he's coming from. I understand his anger. I've felt that kind of anger before. The only difference, I never acted on it like this," he gestured to his arm. "Just pass it along to the Chief Warlock. Now, can I please see Draco?" he asked.

The auror nodded. He started in the direction of the lifts. Harry followed. People who were in the department watched him pass once again. They looked after him with pity. He wanted to glare at them. He didn't want their pity.

The auror arrived at the lift and pressed the button for the atrium. They went down to the atrium and instead of going towards the floos; they went in the direction that Harry hadn't been before. They came to a door and the auror walked through it. Harry frowned as he followed him.

When they stepped into the room and the door closed behind them, the auror walked over to a smaller room. Harry stopped and stared at him. The auror turned to give him a questioning look.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked.

"Where are we?" Harry questioned.

"This is an apparition point that leads directly to Azkaban. Each of these pods are designated for one place. This one happens to be the Azkaban pod," he explained.

Harry frowned, but stepped in. The auror put his arm out and Harry gripped it with his good hand. Soon they were apparating away. For some reason, apparating this way, wasn't nearly as awful as other ways that Harry had apparated before.

They arrived in a similar pod as the one at the Ministry. The auror stepped out and Harry immediately followed. It didn't take long for him to pick up on the despair of the place. The auror handed him a candy bar. "You'll need this," he told him.

Harry nodded, knowing perfectly well why he needed it. He followed the auror through several corridors, each darker than the last it seemed. Harry could hear people moaning in the cells that he passed. He cringed and worried his lip as he thought about Draco being in this place.

Finally, they arrived at a door and Harry followed the auror through this new door. This corridor was less haunting, but still, it wasn't a place that Harry would want to be and definitely not a place he wanted Draco to be.

The auror led Harry into a conference room. This one did not have a hook. Harry hoped that was promising. "Wait here and I will go and get him," he directed.

Harry heard the door close behind him. He had his back to the door as he took several deep breaths. It had only been a couple of days, but he couldn't wait to see Draco. He had to see with his own eyes that he was alright. His stomach was in knots as he began pacing the room. It seemed like it was taking forever for Draco to come in there.

A few minutes later, the door opened and Harry turned to see Draco walking in, the auror following behind him. Harry gasped as he looked at Draco. It seemed like he had been there for much longer than a couple of days. Draco looked up and his eyes filled with joy at seeing him. The auror watched as Draco rushed to Harry, pulling him into a hug, carefully avoiding his arm. Harry closed his eyes and smiled at having him in his arms again, or in this case, arm. The auror blushed as he picked up on the privacy of this moment. He stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Draco kissed Harry deeply, relishing in the fact that he was actually there. "I'm so glad you're here," he whispered as he stepped back.

Harry looked up at him, his heart breaking. "Draco, I… you've aged so much…." That was all Harry could say as he looked at him.

Draco frowned. "I imagine that I do look a bit older. This damn place sucks the life out of you, dementors or not. I saw my father when I first got here and it looked like he had been here for years, not months. I seriously hope it's reversible because I am far too young to look old and I wouldn't want you to trade me in for a younger model," he replied.

Harry laughed and shook his head. He kissed Draco again, relieved that he still had his humor about him. "I wasn't really fully with it until I was released today, but I know I missed you. Are you alright?"

Draco shrugged. "I'm as well as I can be here. Clearly, this place has other things in mind for me, but I'm hoping I won't be here long enough to have any lasting effects," he replied.

Harry nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the chocolate bar that the auror had given him. "It's not the best, I'm sure, but take this. Maybe it'll help you get through this ordeal easier," Harry said.

Draco smiled and took it gratefully. He patted his leg. "I have my pocket here. I managed some wandless magic when they put me into this horrid prison uniform. I've been worried about using it too much since I don't want to get in trouble. Maybe you can write me and send me more chocolate until I'm out of here," he said.

"I can do that," Harry agreed.

Draco smiled at him. It didn't quite meet his eyes which bothered Harry immensely. "Are you alright?" Draco asked after a moment, gesturing to Harry's arm.

"Not really, but it'll pass. I feel completely off balance right now, especially without you there. This is just an added bonus to our ridiculous life at this moment," Harry replied.

Draco laughed. He gestured to the chairs that were by the table. Harry sat and Draco pulled up his chair and sat as close to him as he comfortably could. "I'm so grateful that you're alive. Merlin, I was going crazy until I finally heard from Professor McGonagall that you were awake. It just made things so much worse about being here. I couldn't be there to make sure you woke up or that you were doing alright. I'm not there right now to help you with your recovery. Harry, I'm so sorry. I….." Draco trailed off, shaking his head. He closed his eyes and placed his head on Harry's shoulder. Harry wrapped his arm around him and held him as close as he could.

"It's not your fault. You did what you had to do to keep us safe. Roberts wouldn't have stopped. He would have kept going after us. We would have both died. The Wizengamot will see that. They have to. I've turned in Roberts's wand and the journal. I talked to him…." Harry trailed off, sounding sheepish at the end.

Draco lifted his head and looked at him. "You talked to him?" he said in a low voice.

Harry blushed. "I know I shouldn't have, but I had to show him that he made a big mistake. I had to make him see that he had nowhere to go and that he nearly ruined an innocent person's life. He's angry with himself and he's sorry for everything that he's done," he explained.

Draco snorted. "Yeah, well, I hope he rots in here," he seethed.

Harry shifted uncomfortably. Draco knew that tell. He narrowed his gaze at him. Harry looked away nervously. "You weren't there to hear him. I know the anger he was feeling. I felt it when Sirius died. I felt it when Dumbledore, Remus, Fred, Hedwig, and even Snape died. That anger that he's feeling of losing someone that you love and blaming someone, anyone for it because you don't recognize or even know that you didn't make them do what they did that killed them. I told the auror, the one that brought me here, that I only wanted him charged with assault and that he should get probation and receive counseling or something. He's only fifteen years old. I was that fifteen year old boy, only at fourteen when Sirius died. I understand his anger and his need for justice. I don't think I realized it until I talked to him today. I'm sure this makes you angry, but it doesn't feel right to send him to Azkaban when he was just reacting to an assumption. I'm fine and I'll live. You'll get out of Azkaban soon enough and it will be fine," he defended.

Draco stared at him in disbelief. He kept going between wanting to clock him for being too nice and wanting to snog him senseless for being so noble and understanding. He took a deep breath and chose to go with a more positive reaction. "I get where you're coming from and I understand. I just hope that he does answer in some way to his crimes because this is not okay, Harry. I don't belong here. I shouldn't be here and you shouldn't have your arm strapped to your body so it can heal. Roberts has to pay for this in some way," Draco countered.

Harry nodded. "I know and I believe he will. Just not as harshly," he replied.

The door opened and the auror stuck his head in. He looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, but your time is up for visiting," he said quietly.

Draco's face fell as did Harry's. They sighed and nodded. "Could we have just one more moment to say good-bye?" Harry asked.

The auror nodded and shut the door again. Harry turned to face Draco. The lighthearted attitude was gone and the obvious despair was settling in again. Harry brought his one hand up and cradled Draco's cheek. Draco looked up at him, eyes swimming with tears. "I'll see you sooner than you think," he whispered. He leaned forward and kissed him deeply, pouring all of his emotions into the kiss. Reminding Draco what was waiting for him once he got out.

They broke apart, forehead against forehead. "I love you, so much," Draco whispered.

"I love you, too," Harry replied. Draco kissed him once again. The door opened again. Harry and Draco stood. They hugged and then Draco walked over to the auror. He led Draco out and after a few minutes, he was back and leading Harry back the way they had come. Harry could feel the despair emanating throughout the prison. He wanted Draco out of there as soon as possible.


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: One more chapter for the night! Enjoy**

Draco returned to his cell and went straight to his bed and lay down. He buried his face in the musty pillow and let his tears fall silently. He hated being there. He wanted out. The look on Harry's face when he saw him was enough to prove that even a couple of days aged him dramatically.

He turned, after all his tears had been shed, and faced the cell across from him. It was his father's cell. He was standing by the door, looking over at Draco sadly. "Mister Potter was here?" he asked.

Draco sat up and then walked over to his door. "Yes," he replied quietly.

"How did you two happen? I've been trying to wrap my mind around it ever since your mother told me. How?" he asked.

Draco sighed. His father was going to be in Azkaban for a long time. "It started back in sixth year," he began.

Lucius gasped. "Excuse me?" he asked in disbelief.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Not like that. We became friends back in sixth year and throughout seventh year. We reconnected before eighth year and decided that we liked each other as more than just friends," he explained.

Lucius blinked a few times, still processing this. "I had no idea that you, um, preferred… men," he said. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I think I only prefer Harry. Come on, father, Harry and I have always found a way to be overly involved in each other's lives. The signs were all there. We were just blinded from it until it became clearer to us. I love him and we are going to have a future. Mother told me that the plans that were set in place when I was just a baby are no longer valid. She is nixing them because they are archaic and she knows that I would hate you both forever if either of you tried to keep me from him," Draco explained.

Lucius put his hands up in a placating gesture. "Who am I to say who you can and can't be with? Clearly, I am a horrible judge of anything. I just want you to be happy. I've always wanted that. I just went about it in a very wrong way. I also want you out of here and I don't want you to ever come back here. You don't belong here," he replied.

"Believe me, I don't want to spend another second in this horrible place," Draco muttered darkly.

Lucius nodded. A guard was starting down the corridor. That was their cue that it was time for quiet hours. Draco and Lucius stared at each other for several moments before they both turned and went to their beds. Draco settled in and stared up at the dank ceiling. He wished that he was back at Hogwarts, in bed with Harry, preferably after they had made love and were enjoying post-coital bliss. He closed his eyes as he wished for that. He was going to be out of there soon enough. He would be with Harry again and life would move on for them.

 **XXXX**

 _Two days after Harry's visit_

 _Well, readers, as promised, another update on our illustrious hero and his paramour. As many of you have now read, Draco Malfoy is sitting in Azkaban for violating his probation. The Ministry is keeping surprisingly mum about what is happening with the investigation. As your most trusted reporter, I have vowed to get to the bottom of this story. Many of you are speculating what this will mean for Harry and Draco. Will their relationship survive this trip to Azkaban? Did Draco violate his probation out of anger? Where is Harry in all of this? Is he angry with his paramour for ruining their chances? So many questions, dear readers, so many answers to find out._

 **XXXX**

 _Two weeks later_

Harry found himself following his friends down to the pitch for another Quidditch match. This one was between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. He had nothing invested in this match whatsoever, but it was something to do. He was going crazy worrying about Draco. He still wasn't out of Azkaban even though they had all the evidence they needed to prove that he meant no harm and that he was just protecting Harry.

He still held on to the hope that Draco would get out soon. He had been writing him, but Draco wasn't replying. Harry figured that it was because Draco's pocket wasn't working in Azkaban anymore. He hoped that he was still getting his letters and his chocolates. Anything that could help Draco survive that horrible place, Harry was willing to send him.

"Harry!" someone called out as he nearly arrived at the bleachers. Harry turned and saw Oliver Wood walking towards him. He sighed. He knew that Oliver was interested in him, or at least had been a month or so ago.

"Hello, Oliver," Harry greeted.

Oliver looked closely at him and frowned. "How are you hanging in there, mate?" he asked, trying to keep things light.

Harry shrugged. "I'm doing alright. How have you been?" he replied. He didn't want to discuss Draco with him.

Oliver smiled broadly. Apparently he took Harry's response as something entirely different. "Well, I have been great! We've been doing quite well in the preseason. I can't wait for the season to officially start!" he exclaimed.

Harry nodded and glanced away from him to the bleachers. "Well, it's great to see Oliver. I'm going to go join my friends," Harry said as he started towards the bleacher steps. Oliver reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Wait, Harry, can I talk to you more privately?" Oliver asked.

Harry stopped and looked at him. "What for?" he asked.

Oliver sighed and blushed. "Please, just right over here," he asked as he gestured to a cut out in the forest near the pitch. Harry sighed and walked over to it. He crossed his arms and looked at Oliver expectantly. Oliver sighed and stepped closer to him. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior the last time I saw you. I should have known that you were with Malfoy, especially with the way he responded to my interest in you," he explained.

Harry shrugged. "It's fine, Oliver. You could have told me that over there though," Harry replied as he gestured to where they had been standing before.

"No, I couldn't," he replied.

Harry lifted his brow. "And why not?"

Oliver closed the distance between them and Harry's eyes widened as he saw Oliver leaning in to kiss him. Harry turned his head, Oliver crashing into his cheek and into his sore arm. Harry shoved him away from him as he winced.

"Oliver, dammit! What is wrong with you?" he demanded.

Oliver had the grace to look guilty. "I'm sorry, Harry. I just thought I'd show you that there are other people out there who aren't heading to Azkaban," he said quietly.

"You've got to be kidding me! One, I am not interested in you whatsoever, not now, not ever and two, Draco is not staying in Azkaban! Geez, what is wrong with people?" Harry demanded.

He stormed away, fuming. Oliver called after him, but he ignored him, making his way up to the bleachers where his friends were. He hoped that Oliver was the only person stupid enough to try and make a move on him when Draco was not going to be in Azkaban permanently. Harry couldn't deal with anymore idiots.

 **XXXX**

 _Oh, my, readers! Look at this picture! Is it possible that Oliver Wood, Chaser for Puddlemere United, is moving in on a freshly single Harry Potter? I spotted Harry wearing his left arm in a brace, strapped to his chest. This clearly relates to why Draco Malfoy is in Azkaban. Is he in Azkaban because he hurt Harry Potter? If so, readers, I do hope that he stays there. I hope to see more from Oliver Wood and Harry Potter, much more._

Draco scoffed as he balled up the picture and the article and threw it across the room. Harry had sent that to him with a thorough, truthful explanation as to what had happened. The picture was obvious enough that Harry did not return Oliver's feelings, but it still pissed him off immensely that Oliver tried to kiss what belonged to him. He wasn't going to be in Azkaban forever. He would be getting out soon. He knew that he would be.

"Mister Malfoy, another prisoner would like to speak to you and your father," a guard said, breaking Draco out of his internal rant at Oliver Wood.

Draco frowned. Another prisoner wants to speak to him and his father? That seemed odd. He nodded though and followed the guard to the room that he had gone into when Harry had come to visit him. His father was already there, but the other prisoner was not. He sat next to his father and they both gave each other questioning looks. After a few moments, the door opened again and they both turned. Evan Roberts was being led in by two guards. They closed the door and stood by it. Evan shuffled in and sat down across from them.

Draco and his father both gave him identical looks. Evan shuddered. "What on earth could you possibly have to say to us?" Draco demanded. He was angry about Oliver, but angrier that Evan still scared him. He looked pitiful and far worse than he or his father looked.

"I wanted to apologize," he said.

"Apologize for the fact that my son is sitting in here because of you? How dare you think that he would want your apology?" Lucius demanded.

Draco softened his look, channeling the understanding that Harry so easily gave to others. "Thank you, Roberts, that is big of you," he replied.

Lucius looked over at him in surprise. Evan looked very similar. "I have told the aurors, my solicitor, the Wizengamot, anyone who needed to know that this isn't your fault. All of this is because of me and my complete and total misunderstanding of what happened to my brother. I know now that this is no one's fault, but his own. Well, not including my actions. That's on me. I just, I wanted to apologize to you, but I also wanted to ask you why him?" he asked, turning his question on Lucius.

Lucius looked at him in surprise. "Um, alright. Your brother was Samuel Roberts?" he asked. Evan nodded. It had been a long time since he had recruited Samuel, but he knew exactly why they had and exactly why the Dark Lord had killed him. "Your brother was very intelligent and he saw things in a different way than most of us did. He was unique and partial to the Dark Lord. He had a chip on his shoulder and felt invincible. The Dark Lord asked us to recruit him, so we did and he came willingly. He was a great asset to us until he decided that he had made a mistake in getting involved with the Dark Lord. He tried to pull one over on the Dark Lord, but he wasn't intelligent enough to realize that the Dark Lord did not take kindly to traitors," Lucius explained.

Evan nodded. "Thank you. I hope that you are out of here soon. I am sorry," he told Draco. He sat there for several moments, processing the new information. He nodded once more and stood. He walked over to the guards and they escorted him out.

"Well, I guess it will only be a matter of time until I'm out of here," Draco commented hopefully.

Lucius nodded and patted his shoulder. "I hope so," he replied.


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: The chapter you've all been waiting for... again? Only three more after this! Thank you for the reviews and follows :)**

 _One month later, end of November_

"You need to check in with him, Ronald. He's your best mate. His boyfriend is still in Azkaban, waiting for the final verdict. He's not well, you know that," Hermione reminded him.

"Mione, I'm not blind. I can see that he is extremely depressed. He's withdrawn. He's losing weight. I know all of that. I can see all of that. I check in with him multiple times a day. He is just going through the motions until Malfoy is out of Azkaban," Ron replied angrily.

She worried her lip and nodded, tears coming into her eyes. "I know, I'm sorry. I just feel like I'm not doing enough," she replied, her voice breaking.

Ron pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "It won't be enough until Malfoy is out." He reminded her.

She sighed and nodded against his chest. She walked into the dorm that Ron and Harry shared. Harry was sitting on his bed, staring blankly at the wardrobe that held all of Draco's clothes.

"Hey, Harry," she ventured as she came closer. Harry turned to look at her.

"Hey, Mione. How are you?" he asked in a deadpan voice.

She sighed. "I'm worried," she answered honestly.

"About what?" he replied.

"About you," she answered.

Harry shrugged his one shoulder. His other arm was still strapped to his body. Madam Pomfrey said that it was necessary for the healing to completely set in. He hated it, but there wasn't a thing he could do. "I'm the same as I've been for the past month and a half. Depressed, angry, sad, worried, lonely…." he replied.

Hermione and Ron exchanged glances. "We know mate. Malfoy will be out of there soon. I heard from Professor McGonagall that they are releasing a verdict today about Roberts's case and Malfoy's. We'll find out today what is going to happen to them both," Ron replied, trying to sound upbeat.

Harry looked over at him. "That's great," he said in that same tone.

"Why don't you take a shower and find your best robes? You'll want to look nice for Draco when he gets back," Hermione pointed out.

Harry nodded numbly and made his way to the loo. He undressed and stepped into the shower, but he just stood there, allowing the water to wash over him. He was aching for Draco. He hadn't heard from him since the week he visited him. The pockets weren't working. Or at least, he wasn't receiving anything from Draco. He had written notes and sent chocolate, but heard nothing from him. Narcissa wasn't even talking to him. He felt completely isolated. He only knew what was happening through Professor McGonagall and even then the information wasn't complete.

He hadn't realized how much of a difference that Draco made in his life. Well, he knew he made a difference, but he didn't realize the scope of it. He carried the ring he had gotten for him around in his pocket no matter where he went. It was a constant warmth that reminded him of when the pockets worked. The first connection that he and Draco had. He missed him deeply and couldn't help feeling lost in his life then. Nothing mattered to him anymore. The only thing that mattered was seeing Draco again.

 **XXXX**

Draco hadn't looked in a mirror in a month and a half. He was afraid to. He knew that he probably looked like a ghost. His insides felt dead. He had cried so much those first two weeks that he was in Azkaban and then as the days went on that he was stuck there, he spiraled more and more into a depression. The despair was always there, but now he was just depressed. The only things he had to look forward to have been talking to his father and the occasional visit from his solicitor.

Draco missed Harry terribly and wondered every day, every hour, every minute about how he was doing. He had received his letters and the chocolates, but he couldn't send anything back. The letters were sadder and sadder every time he received them. They had stopped about a week ago. He didn't think anything horrible had happened to him. He kept reminding himself that Harry probably stopped writing him because he wasn't able to write back. It wasn't because he was finished with him or that he was incapacitated. He just stopped because he wasn't receiving a response.

He kept thinking about the article about what happened between Harry and Oliver and every time it made him angrier. He wondered, often, if people were still trying to move in on him and his traitorous mind would sometimes wonder if Harry had moved on from him. He sincerely hoped that wasn't the case as the end of his Azkaban run was hopefully at an end.

He knew that today he was going to get the verdict from his trial. He was going to hear if he was going to be stuck in Azkaban for the duration of his probation or if they were going to let him out. He slipped into the robes that his mother had sent him. They were too big since he had lost weight in Azkaban, but they would have to do.

"Mister Malfoy, are you ready?" his solicitor asked, breaking Draco out of his thoughts.

"Um, yes, I suppose," he replied. He walked over to the door and waited as the guard unlocked it. He stepped out and looked at his father.

"Good luck. I sincerely hope I don't see you back here," he told him.

Draco nodded and followed his solicitor. The guard led them down the same path that Harry had taken to get to Azkaban. Once they arrived at the Ministry, an auror met them and escorted them to the hearing.

Once they arrived, Draco looked around, hoping that Harry would be there. He didn't see him and only saw his mother. She had tears in her eyes when she saw him, but he knew that they weren't related to Harry somehow. Her tears were for him. He must look awful.

Draco sat in the seat that faced the Wizengamot. He looked up at each of them. They were deciding his fate today. Would he luck out a second time?

"Good afternoon, Mister Malfoy," the Chief Warlock began.

"Good afternoon, sir," Draco replied politely.

"You are here today to learn of the decision that we have come to in regards to your actions on October twelfth. We have looked at all the evidence we were provided including memories from those who were involved, the wand in question, a journal, and personal testimonies. Part of your probation was to not use any magic against another person unless it was required within the classroom. Your actions happened outside of the classroom which is a clear violation of your probation. On those grounds alone, you would spend the rest of your probation in Azkaban," he paused as this information sunk in for Draco.

Draco felt his stomach drop and his heart stop. He didn't like where this was going. He could feel his luck running out. It was slipping through his fingers. He felt tears in his eyes. Would Harry wait for him? Would he want him to?

"However, the situation left you no choice, but to defend someone who was unable to defend themselves. You did not cause permanent harm to Mister Roberts nor use an unforgiveable. Therefore, we do not believe you should spend any more time in prison than you have already. Your probation still continues with the same parameters. I do hope that you will not be in this courtroom again," the Chief Warlock explained.

Draco looked up at him, staring in disbelief. He couldn't believe it. He wasn't staying in Azkaban. He was getting out. He was going to see Harry again very, very soon. Draco vaguely heard his solicitor thanking the Wizengamot and Draco muttered his thanks, disbelief still evident. His mother was crying softly in the audience seating. He left her there as he was escorted to the auror offices for final paperwork. Once he was done, his solicitor took him down to the floos where his mother waited for him.

"Thank you for all your help," Narcissa enthused to the solicitor.

"You're welcome. I'm glad that this turned out the way it was supposed to. Good luck, Mister Malfoy. I hope I don't see you under these kinds of circumstances again," he said. He winked once and flooed away.

Draco looked at his mother. She smiled at him and then pulled him into a hug. "Let's get you home," she said quietly as she stepped away from him.

"I'd rather see Harry," he replied firmly.

Narcissa sighed and conjured a mirror. She handed it to Draco who reluctantly took it. He gasped loudly as he took in his looks. He looked like he had aged ten years. He had a beard growing in and his hair was longer than he liked. His cheeks were sallow and his eyes had dark circles under them. He couldn't see Harry right now. He had to recover from his ordeal.

"Merlin, Mother, is this permanent?" he asked in disbelief.

She shook her head. "No. I have a potion waiting for you that will return you to your appropriate state. It will take a few days to work its magic, but you will look how you did before going to Azkaban. Write to Harry when you get home. I fear that he has been struggling very much since you've been gone," she replied worriedly.

Draco stared at her, not liking her tone. He said nothing as he followed her into the floo. As soon as he arrived, he rushed upstairs to his room to get some parchment. He wrote Harry a note and sent it through his pocket. He sincerely hoped that he was alright.

 **XXXX**

Harry stared up at the canopy of his bed. He had sort of showered, but only went back into pajamas. Ron and Hermione had left him alone. He had no idea what happened at Draco's trial that day. He didn't know if he would see him again or if it would be two and a half years until he saw him again.

He felt nothing at that moment. He was completely devoid of any emotion. He felt his pocket warm and he glanced down at it. He frowned. He must be imagining things. It hadn't worked for a month and a half. He ignored the warmth and continued staring and not feeling. The warmth became stronger. He finally reached in and felt parchment. His stomach dropped and his heart began to race. He had a note.

 _Dear Harry,_

 _The verdict is in. I'm out of Azkaban. They agreed that I had no choice. I don't have an added probationary sentence and nothing has changed in regards to my sentence. I'm free, love. I'm free! I can't wait to see you although I am going to be at the Manor for a few days until I recover from Azkaban. My mother gave me a potion and she said I'll be back to normal in a few days. I look like I'm at least ten years older and my hair is too long, I've grown a beard and I've lost weight. I look awful. Trust me, you don't want to see me yet. I hope you're alright and that you haven't forgotten me. I couldn't send anything to you through our pocket. I'm so sorry. I got all your notes and your chocolate. I love you, Harry. I can't believe this is finally over. Well, I don't know what Roberts's verdict is, but at least my part is over. I'm so relieved. I can't wait to see you. I miss you more than you could possibly know._

 _Love always,_

 _Draco_

Harry sat up straight in his bed and read the letter over and over again. He didn't want to trust that it was true. Was it possible that Draco was out of Azkaban and they could be together soon? He looked up when the door slammed open. Hermione and Ron came in, grinning.

"You've heard the news?" she asked knowingly.

"It's true then?" he asked. She nodded. Harry smiled. The first smile he had had in a month. "He's out. He's free," he whispered.

"He is," she replied.

Harry covered his face and sighed deeply. He willed his tears away. He wasn't going to cry. He was just going to relish in the fact that in a few days he would see Draco again. Draco was out of Azkaban. He was safe. He felt tears coming to his eyes and he sighed as he let them fall. It wouldn't be long now.

"Mate, you might want to see Madam Pomfrey. See if there is anything that can make you not look like shit," Ron told him honestly.

Harry laughed and looked up at him. "That bad, huh?" he asked. They both nodded reluctantly. He laughed again and stood up from his bed. He walked over to his desk and grabbed some parchment. "I'll write Draco first, then go to see her," he told him. They nodded in agreement. Draco was out. He was free.


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. We've got two more after this one and then this story has come to an end. I have a couple of one shots that I'll be putting out there after this is over. One might turn into a part series, but I'm not sure yet. Anyway, look for fluffy goodness for the rest of the chapters and probably a bit of smut mixed in :) Thank you all for the reviews and follows!**

 _Dear Draco,_

 _Merlin, I'm so grateful to see this note. I honestly didn't believe the warmth I felt when you sent that. I thought I was imagining things. I can't believe this. I'm so happy that you're out. I have missed you terribly and I'm told that it's quite obvious how much of a toll you being gone has had on me. I will see about fixing that._

 _I thought for weeks that you were angry with me, you know, after I sent that article about Oliver. I am still so angry that he did that. He hasn't even cleared the air with the Prophet. I didn't ask for what he did or tried to do. It just happened. I hope you weren't angry with me._

 _I've been going crazy since you've been gone. I feel worse now than I did after the war. You know how I was then, imagine how I am now. I had so much hope, but as time went on, and you were still in Azkaban, I lost that hope. I wasn't sure when or if you'd get out. I had mentally prepared myself to not see you for three years. I'm so glad that's not what happened._

 _If you had to stay for the duration of your probation, what would you have me do? I've wondered this as well. I love you, so much._

 _Love,_

 _Harry_

 _xxxx_

 _Potter, I'm going to pretend I didn't just read some of what I just read. First of all, it wasn't your fault that Wood doesn't know that no means no. Second of all, if I had been stuck in Azkaban for three years, well I don't know what I would have you do. What are you implying? Are you trying to tell me that you moved on or would move on over those three years? If that were true, I suppose I couldn't blame you. But if the roles were reversed, I would wait for you. I know exactly how you look right now and I hate it. I love you so much, Harry and I hope that you are still in this with me. I didn't get out of Azkaban to work harder to have you. I am going to have you and we are going to move on from this. I'm not going anywhere so don't you think for a second that you can get rid of me._

 _xxxx_

 _Potter, is it? Now, just hang on there a moment, Malfoy. You are completely misunderstanding my question. I asked because I wanted to be sure that YOU didn't hope that I would move on from you. We worked too damn hard to just throw it all away, but think about how I've been feeling since you've been in there. I sent you many letters and received no response. Excuse me for thinking that you didn't want me anymore. This is ridiculous. What am I even saying to you right now? You told me you loved me and missed me so obviously you want to be with me. I'm having a nothing fight with you through notes._

 _xxxx_

 _How I've missed you. I'm sorry. I honestly couldn't get the pocket to work. Believe me, I would have written you back every single time. I never once thought about moving on from you even when I thought you were. This is a nothing fight. I think we're just getting our worries and anger out over all of this. I can't wait to see you. Good night, Harry._

 _xxxx_

 _I can't wait to see you. Good night, love._

Harry sent his last note away, smile firmly in place. Ron and Hermione had been watching the exchange in wonder. "So you two were fighting over what exactly?" Ron asked. He had seen Harry scribbling furiously and looking angry in the middle of their note exchange.

"Nothing," Harry replied, still smiling.

"You were fighting over nothing?" he asked in confusion.

"Yes, nothing," Harry said his smile broadening. He walked past his two confused best friends and made his way out of the dorm to see Madam Pomfrey. Ron and Hermione trailed after him still trying to figure out exactly what had happened between them.

 **XXXX**

 _Three days later_

Harry had heard from Draco every day since he had been home, multiple times as a matter of fact. Harry was counting down the minutes until he'd see Draco again. It was late Friday night and Harry was turning in for the night. He expected Draco in the morning. He was so exhausted from so many sleepless nights that despite being so excited to see him, he fell asleep quickly.

The next morning, he woke earlier than he normally would, but he couldn't contain his excitement. He took an extra-long shower and put on his best outfit that wasn't too fancy. He took special care to make himself look more presentable. He looked better than he had in weeks. He was grateful to Madam Pomfrey for taking pity on him and giving him a few potions to help him out. He couldn't imagine Draco seeing him the way he had been three days before.

He was as satisfied as he was going to be with himself and left the bathroom. Ron was just stirring. He opened one eye and saw that Harry was ridiculously awake for the hour that it was on a Saturday. Ron groaned and rolled over. "Could you tone down the excitement? It's a little too early for that," Ron muttered.

Harry laughed and moved over to his bed. He made it and then patted his pocket where he had been keeping Draco's ring at all times with him. He walked over to the sitting area and picked up a Quidditch magazine and took a seat. He started to page through it, but he couldn't focus on it at all.

He sighed loudly and stood up. "I can't just wait in here," he commented as he grabbed his jacket and a scarf. Ron sat up and looked at him.

"Hang on, I'll come with you," he said as he rolled out of bed and quickly got ready. Harry looked over at him gratefully when he was zipping up his coat and putting his scarf on. Ron smiled back. They set out and made their way through the empty common room. No one was awake at this hour. It was seven in the morning and breakfast wouldn't be ready until nine. They still had two hours until then.

Ron and Harry walked through the castle quietly. "How are you feeling?" Ron asked after awhile.

Harry laughed. "I'm really nervous actually. I'm so excited to see him, but so anxious at the same time. I just hope that we can pick up where we left off," Harry said worriedly.

Ron reached over and patted his shoulder. "It'll be fine, mate. He loves you and I don't see this going any other way than you two starting up again, right where you left off."

Harry looked over at his friend gratefully. "I'm going to ask him to marry me," Harry said quietly.

They had reached the entrance and were just leaving the castle to go out into the courtyard. Ron stopped short, and looked over at him in surprise. "For real?" he asked.

Harry cast a hasty warming charm around them. He hadn't told anyone that he was going to propose to Draco. He had a feeling that Hermione suspected it, but she never said a word to him. Harry reached into his pocket and took out the pouch that held Draco's ring. He opened it and dropped the ring into his palm. Ron's eyes widened as he reached for it and took it from him.

"Wow, mate, this is amazing. Really cold though," he commented. He set it back in Harry's palm after examining it closely. It warmed immediately as soon as it touched Harry's palm.

"It's actually warm to me. The jeweler said that she had it in her store for years and many people have admired it, but none ever purchased it. She said that the story that goes with the ring states that the person who should have the ring will feel the dragon's warmth," Harry explained.

Ron lifted his eyebrows. "The dragon's warmth?" he questioned.

Harry nodded and showed him the Celtic design. "This is the Celtic symbol for dragon," he replied.

Ron nodded in understanding. "Draco means dragon…. Wow, mate, that's an amazing find. When are you going to ask him?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure. When the time is right. I've got an idea as to how I want to do it, but the moment will hit me. What do you think? Do you think I'm crazy?" he asked his oldest friend.

Ron looked over at him thoughtfully. "I think that I don't see you with anyone else. I was reluctant when I first found out about you two. I never told you because I didn't want to push you away. I thought that Malfoy was using you for some sort of gain, but as time went along and I watched you two, I realized that I was completely wrong in a lot of ways about him, about both of you. I have never seen someone look at another person the way that he looks at you and the way that you look at him. I suppose I've seen it with my parents and Bill and Fleur, but there is just something about the way you two look at each other that is nothing compared to them. I can see the love between you two and I can see that it goes very deep. I've tried to imagine you with someone else, but I just can't. You and Malfoy, are meant to be. I really believe that. I support you, mate. If you want to marry him, you marry him. I don't think anyone could stop you even if they tried," Ron replied sincerely.

Harry grinned and felt his heart warm at his best friend's word. If there was anyone who would have a problem about Harry and Draco, it would be Ron and Hermione. He had Ron's support and he knew he would have Hermione's as well. "Thank you. I never expected this when I approached him in sixth year, but I can't imagine it going any other way than the way it has," Harry said. He put the ring back in the pouch and pocketed it.

Ron and Harry sat in the courtyard for awhile, talking about random things. They hadn't spent much time alone where Harry wasn't a mess. It was nice to reconnect with his best friend. Soon both their stomachs were grumbling. They laughed and made their way inside. Breakfast was starting as they walked into the Great Hall. Ron kissed Hermione's forehead as he sat down next to her. Harry sat across from them.

"Where were you two this morning?" she asked as she nibbled on her toast.

"Having a heart to heart," Ron replied through a mouthful of bacon.

Hermione lifted an eyebrow and looked between the two. Harry grinned and took a bite of his bacon. "Oh?" she asked curiously.

Gasping sounded around the Great Hall and Harry looked up. He saw several people looking towards the door. He turned and looked and he dropped his bacon onto his plate, scrambling up. Draco had just walked in and he looked unbelievable. All eyes shifted between Draco and Harry. The Great Hall had gone silent.


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N: Here is the second to last chapter. Very fluffy and some smut, of course :). Oh, and something else... Enjoy ;)**

Harry started towards Draco at a stumbling pace. Draco stood there watching him, looking him up and down, taking him in. Harry started to move more quickly towards him and Draco responded and headed towards him at a quick pace. Harry was jogging by this point and he leapt towards Draco who caught him carefully, somehow with Harry only having one useful arm. Draco held onto Harry tightly, breathing him in. His face was buried in Harry's neck and he pressed kisses there.

Harry stepped back and looked up at Draco, smiling broadly. Draco grinned back and closed the distance between them, kissing him passionately. The Great Hall gave a collective gasp and some whistling was heard.

They broke from their kiss, foreheads resting together, breathing quickly. "I missed you," Draco whispered.

"I missed you," Harry responded.

"Everyone's staring, aren't they?" Draco muttered.

"Let them stare," Harry replied. He moved and wrapped his arm around his shoulders while Draco wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling Harry close to him. They broke apart, but didn't go far from each other as Draco gripped Harry's hand and they walked down the aisle to their seats. The Great Hall erupted in cheers and they both looked up in surprise. They smiled in embarrassment and took their seats across from Ron and Hermione.

Hermione was beaming and she stood up and rushed around the table, wrapping her arms around Draco in a hug. The Great Hall was chattering away once again, obviously discussing the latest development between Harry and Draco. Hermione stepped away, blushing and returned to her seat. Draco looked over at her in surprise. Ron extended his hand across the table and Draco shook it.

"We're glad you're back," Hermione gushed.

Draco grinned. "Thank you," he replied quietly. Harry reached under the table and gripped Draco's hand. Draco looked over at him and smiled. "So you're happy to see me?" he asked.

Harry shrugged his one shoulder. "I guess, maybe a little," he replied. Draco laughed and shook his head. "Of course, I am. I hope you're happy to see me too," Harry added.

Draco shrugged. "Sort of," he replied. Harry scoffed and bumped Draco's shoulder. Draco grinned, leaned over and kissed his cheek.

They finished their breakfast and made their way up to the tower. Many students passed them, welcoming Draco back. He was surprised each and every time. He thanked them. Once they arrived back at the tower, Harry and Draco made their way to their dorm. Ron stayed in the main common room.

Harry locked and silenced the door and then turned to look at Draco. "You are a sight for sore eyes," Draco told him as Harry stepped closer to him.

"I didn't realize just how much I missed you until you walked in that door," Harry replied quietly.

Draco stepped towards him. "When I saw you coming towards me, my heart stopped. I have been worrying for weeks that I would never see you again. Seeing you this morning, right now, makes me feel like my life has meaning again," he whispered. He was reaching out for Harry, pulling him towards him. He looped his arm around his waist and leaned down, brushing his lips gently across Harry's.

Harry let out a small cry as he increased the pressure of their kiss. He gripped Draco's shirt, pulling him closer to him. Draco responded instantly and turned them so that he could back Harry up to the bed. As soon as Harry's knees hit the bed, Draco broke the kiss and watched as Harry lay down on the bed, never breaking eye contact with him. Draco felt his heart begin to pound. He had missed this so much.

He settled over Harry, taking extra care to not put pressure on his injured arm. He placed himself more on Harry's side than on top of him. He kissed him deeply, slipping his hand underneath Harry's shirt, brushing his fingers over Harry's bare stomach, relishing in the feel. He had only been dreaming of him this way for the past month and a half. He was so relieved to have him for real again.

"I love you," he whispered against Harry's lips before he kissed him again. His hand slid down over to Harry's straining erection. He cupped him gently and Harry moaned, arching into his touch.

"I love you," Harry breathed as he pushed against his hand once more. Draco grinned and made fast work of Harry's buckle. He slid Harry's jeans down his legs once he had undone them. He made fast work of removing Harry's shirt, tossing it behind him. Harry's eyes darkened as he watched Draco get up onto his knees and take his own shirt off. Harry bit his lip as more and more of Draco was exposed to him. Draco unbuckled his trousers and took them off. His pants came next and he knelt above Harry in all his glory. Harry groaned at the sight.

"Have you gotten more beautiful since I last saw you?" Harry asked in awe.

Draco grinned as he leaned down and captured Harry's lips in a kiss. "I think the restorative potion may have played a part in that. I'm sure my usual self will be back soon enough," he teased.

"Mmm, still beautiful either way," Harry complimented. Draco smiled and leaned forward to kiss a path across Harry's cheek and along his jaw. He worked his way down and was soon upon Harry's straining cock. He removed Harry's pants and watched as his cock sprang free. He licked his lips, salivating at the sight. He looked up at Harry who had his eyes closed and was biting his lip.

Draco looked away and took Harry into his mouth. Harry cried out and arched into him. Draco sucked and licked and tightened around him as he devoured him. He introduced a finger at Harry's entrance and as Harry cried out at the feel of Draco breaching his entrance. It had been so long that Harry nearly came at the intrusion. He held back though and relished in the feel of Draco preparing him. He felt the past month of sadness and despair slipping away with each passing moment.

Draco felt that Harry was fully prepared and he was more than ready to be inside him again for it had seemed like a lifetime since he had entered him. He lifted Harry's hips up off the bed and brought him close to his hard cock. He lubed himself up and looked down at Harry who was panting and looking back at him with green eyes so dark they were nearly black. He groaned as he saw the lustful look in Harry's eyes. He pushed into him carefully in response. Harry's eyes closed tightly as he struggled to adjust to the intrusion. Draco waited him out and finally, he could feel Harry relax around him and he was able to start moving in and out of him. Harry pushed back as best he could, meeting Draco's thrusts. Harry reached out and gripped himself, moving with Draco's thrusts. In a matter of moments, Harry was crying out, his channel tightening around Draco as he came. Draco groaned as the tightness became overwhelming and he too came.

After a few moments, after their orgasms dissipated, Draco pulled out of Harry and lay down next to him. He reached for his wand and flicked it at them, cleaning them both up. He wrapped himself around Harry as best he could and held him as close as he could. He thanked Merlin that he had him in his arms again and that he had been spared. Life would go on for them and he believed that they would finally, finally be able to live their life as they should.

 **XXXX**

 _Three weeks later_

"Harry, the Yule Ball is tonight and you want to go have a picnic, in the middle of winter, by the lake?" Draco questioned in disbelief.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Love, it doesn't take all day to get ready for a dance. It takes maybe an hour, tops," Harry replied as he prepared their basket. Draco's ring was burning a hole in his pocket. Well, not literally, but it seemed like it was. Harry's brace was to come off today and he had everything planned out for their picnic and the subsequent celebration of having the use of both arms again.

Draco scoffed. "Did you forget who you're talking to right now?"

Harry laughed and looked over at the man he loved with all his heart. "I'm sorry, my mistake, two or three hours to get ready," he acquiesced.

"Yeah, that's better. Anyway, having a picnic in the dead of winter is a silly idea," Draco added.

"Babe," Harry paused as he saw Draco blush at the pet name. Harry grinned. "It's only been three days since the first day of winter. It's not the dead of winter yet. Besides, have you forgotten that we are wizards?" he asked.

Draco frowned. "I see your point. Fine, who am I to ruin a romantic lunch with you?" he asked.

Harry walked over to him and kissed his cheek. He glanced at his desk where a letter sat. It was from Evan. "I received a letter today," he commented.

Draco looked over at him. "From?" he asked curiously. Harry picked up the letter and handed it to him. Draco read it over.

 _Potter,_

 _I learned today who I can thank for the sentence I received. Thank you. I am getting the help that I need at a place that is infinitely better than Azkaban. I will be here for at least a year and then I will be on house arrest for another three years. As long as my treatment goes well and I stay out of trouble, I'll be able to get my NEWTs and live a somewhat normal life. I am thankful that you did what you did for me. We both know that I didn't deserve it. Again, I am so sorry for everything that I did. I hope that one day you can forgive me. Thank you again._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Evan Roberts_

Draco sighed. He looked over at Harry who was waiting for his response. "When he talked to me that day in Azkaban, I realized that you were right. At some point I've forgiven him. Have you?"

Harry nodded. "Yes," he replied quietly.

Draco nodded as well and then returned the note to the table. He turned and picked up the picnic basket. "Ready?" he asked.

Harry nodded. Draco started for the door and Harry took that opportunity to remove the ring pouch from his pocket and place it into his brace. He grinned as he followed Draco out of their dorm. They met Hermione and Ron on the way out.

"Where are you two heading?" Hermione asked as they stopped in front of them.

"We are going to have a picnic by the lake in the dead of winter," Draco replied in an overly dramatic voice.

"Well, technically-" Hermione began.

"I know it's not the dead of winter," Draco replied.

Harry laughed and gave his two friends a sly look. They both knew what that meant. They nearly gave it away with their excitement, but they managed to keep it toned down and just laughed at Draco's response. Draco huffed and started stomping out of the common room.

"Good luck," Ron and Hermione whispered together before Harry ran to catch up with Draco. Harry grinned and nodded his thanks.

They made their way down to the lake. It had snowed the night before so the ground was covered in fresh powder. Draco looked around and paused to marvel at the beauty of it all even though he was shivering.

"See, winter can be beautiful," Harry pointed out. Draco gave him a sideways glance, but nodded his agreement. Harry cast a warming charm around them and soon they were both bathed in warmth.

They arrived at the lake a few minutes later. They glanced around realizing that this place had both good and bad memories now. Harry was hoping that their picnic would cancel out the bad memory. He went to work clearing snow away from under the tree and casting an appropriate warming charm around the area.

Soon the area was bathed in warmth and Draco was settling in on the blanket looking more comfortable. He had removed his coat even. Harry had cast privacy spells around them without Draco noticing. Harry joined him and then opened the basket. He pulled out their lunch and Draco went about getting it ready. Harry looked out across the lake, frozen in places near the shore and covered in snow.

Once they had begun eating, Draco looked around and took in the beauty. He sighed as he looked out across the lake. "Fine, I'll admit it. This is amazing," he said in defeat.

Harry laughed and leaned forward to kiss him. They kissed briefly and then Harry broke away, gasping as he felt a tingle on his secured arm. Harry leaned back and looked down. Draco watched as the brace started to dissolve. The ring pouch fell out of the brace and landed in front of Draco. He looked down at it in confusion and then back up at Harry who was standing up, moving his arm. Draco picked up the pouch and stood as well. He held the pouch absently in one hand as he examined Harry's arm.

"Wow, that is quite the scar you have there," he commented as he ran his fingers lightly down the scar that Harry was looking at. "How does your arm feel?"

Harry moved it around. It was stiff, but it felt wonderful being able to move it again. He grinned. "Stiff, but so much better than it was," he replied as he grinned down at his arm. Draco smiled, relieved that the last remnant of that fateful day was not in plain sight. The scar would always be there, but at least it wasn't as obvious unless his shirt was off.

He returned his attention to the pouch that had fallen out of Harry's brace. "Here, this fell out of your brace. Kind of a random things to find in there," Draco said as he handed the pouch to Harry. Harry shook his head.

"Open it," he said.

Draco looked at him in confusion, but undid the ties. He opened the bag and then turned it upside down. A ring fell out of the bag and into his palm. He stared at it in wonder. The warmth of the ring radiated through his palm. He noticed that there was an inscription on the inside. He smiled and felt his heart swell as he read the message: _Magic brought us together. Love will carry us on._ It was quite unexpected. He looked up and saw that Harry was no longer standing, but he was now down on one knee looking up at him nervously.

Draco's mouth dropped open and the butterflies in his stomach fluttered to life. He stared at Harry, his hand shaking where the ring sat. Harry reached up and took the ring from his palm. Draco dropped the pouch and stared at Harry in disbelief.

"Draco, my love, my heart and soul, I've been waiting two and a half months to ask you something. I hope that I'm not jumping into this too early, but it feels right to me. I love you, so much and I don't want to spend another day without you knowing just how much I love you and what I imagine our future to be. I want to marry you. I want to have a family with you. I want you, all of you. Draco, will you marry me?" he asked, his voice wavering towards the end.

Draco gasped and looked between Harry and the ring between his forefinger and middle finger. This was happening. Harry was proposing to Draco at the place where it all began, well, the second place that it all began. He never expected this to happen here and so soon, but he knew without a doubt that this was right.

"Yes, a thousand times, yes," Draco replied. Harry grinned and slid the ring onto his left ring finger. He scrambled up and kissed Draco deeply. Draco wrapped his arms around him pulling him against him, holding him closer than he ever had before. They were getting married. He was going to marry Harry Potter. How had he gotten so lucky?


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N: Here is the last chapter. I have really enjoyed writing this story and have loved how it's evolved into what it became. Thank you for reviewing, following, and adding my story and myself to your favorites list. As what usually happens after I finish a long fic, it takes me a bit to get back into things. I do have two one shots that will be out soon enough. One will be called** ** _A Chance Encounter_** **and the other is not titled yet, but is completed. I am also working on a story called** ** _Dueling Dreams_** **so that is in the process as well. Anyway, there are lots of things in the works so this isn't the last of me yet :). Enjoy the last chapter!**

Harry and Draco returned to the tower sometime later after celebrating their engagement with a steamy make-out session. Draco was insistent that he be given plenty of time to get ready for the Yule Ball. Harry watched him get ready from the couch. It was a wonderful and intriguing thing to watch. Narcissa had sent Draco a new set of robes. They were dark blue and seemed to shimmer. Draco looked amazing in them of course.

"How am I lucky enough to marry the most beautiful man to ever walk the earth?" Harry asked as he admired Draco.

Draco blushed deeply. "I am positive that I am not the most beautiful man to walk the earth," he replied.

Harry shrugged. "I disagree," he countered.

Draco rolled his eyes, but grinned. "Well, then, thank you." He walked over and leaned down, kissing Harry deeply.

"You're welcome," he replied when they separated.

Draco glanced down at his left hand, as he had done multiple times that afternoon, small smile in place as he admired the ring. It fit him perfectly. He looked up and met Harry's gaze. He blushed and returned to getting ready. "You might want to get ready soon. Mother sent you some nice robes too," Draco added as he walked into the loo.

Harry sat up straighter and looked over at the bed. There were a set of robes set out on their bed. He stood and walked over to them. They were made of the same material as Draco's and were a dark shade of green, nearly black. They shimmered just as Draco's did. They were amazing. He undressed and started putting on the many layers that went along with wearing dress robes. Draco watched him the entire time.

At one point, Harry was struggling to fasten the many buttons so Draco took pity on him and walked over to help him. Once he was finished, Draco helped Harry into the robe. Their eyes met and a look passed between them. Draco smiled at him and leaned forward to kiss him tenderly. When they broke away, Harry wrapped his arms around Draco in a hug. Draco buried his face in his neck.

"How did I get so lucky to get to marry Harry Potter?" he asked in a teasing tone.

Harry stepped back and narrowed his gaze at him. "Because Harry Potter always gets what he wants, of course," he replied in a matter-of-fact voice.

Draco laughed. "That's right, I seem to forget that," he teased.

Harry joined in his laughter. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Draco nodded. He stepped back and looked Harry up and down, a lustful look in his eyes. Harry blushed under his scrutiny. "You look amazing," Draco complimented.

Harry grinned. "Thank you," he replied.

They started for the door, Harry ahead of Draco. They walked out, Draco's hand at the small of Harry's back. Draco's robe sleeve covered his hand. They wanted to announce their engagement subtly. Hermione and Ron were the only ones in the common room when they arrived. Hermione looked beautiful and Ron looked pretty decent too in new robes.

"You two look perfect," Hermione gushed.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you," Draco said smoothly. Hermione giggled nervously and blushed. Ron and Harry rolled their eyes. The portrait door opened and Pansy, Theo and Blaise walked in.

"Are you guys finally ready?" they joked.

Draco gave his friends a 'do you realize who you're talking to' look. "And you're surprised?" he drawled.

Pansy laughed. "No, not really." The others joined in her laughter.

Harry and Draco glanced at each other, giving each other a knowing look. It was not missed by their friends. "Alright, spill, what's the news?" Blaise asked, breaking the silence.

Draco and Harry blushed. Harry turned into Draco, gripping his hand. "We're getting married," Draco announced.

Pansy and Hermione gushed at this news, while the boys were a bit more subtle in their reactions. They congratulated them. Some tears may have been shed by Hermione and Pansy, nearly messing up their make-up. "Oh, this is great news!" Hermione exclaimed.

Pansy gave a dramatic sigh. "I can see the headlines now: Harry Potter, Off the Market, Wizards and Witches Cry in the Streets," she teased.

Everyone laughed at her joke and continued laughing as they walked out of the common room. They arrived at the Great Hall. It was decorated beautifully. It looked like a winter wonderland. Christmas was in the air.

They spent the evening eating, visiting, and dancing. It was nearing midnight; Draco and Harry were dancing in a slow circle near the edge of the dance floor. The moon was shining in through the windows, bathing them in its light. Draco had his sleeve back, his ring glinting in the light.

"Our first official Christmas together," Harry whispered.

"Will you come home with me tomorrow, to the Manor?" Draco asked.

Harry looked up at him, smiling broadly. "Of course. I figured I was anyway," he teased.

"It's a good thing I got you a present a couple of weeks ago. It won't be as amazing as the one you gave me, but at least I'm prepared," he joked.

Harry grinned and moved a bit closer to him. "I'm sure whatever you got me will be great. Oh, you'll probably get a Weasley sweater this year," Harry added.

Draco lifted one eyebrow. "A Weasley sweater?" he said quietly.

Harry grinned. "Yeah, they're great. They're usually too big and not always a flattering color, but they're made with love and they're really warm," he explained.

Draco smiled slightly. "I will wear it with pride and appreciation."

Harry smiled. "I love you," he whispered as he tipped his head up, moving towards Draco's lips.

Draco looked down at him, head tilted downwards. "I love you," he whispered as he closed the distance and kissed him deeply. Several flashes went off behind them, but neither of them noticed nor cared. The world was going to know about them tomorrow. Life would finally move on for them. _Magic brought them together, love will carry them on._

 **XXXX**

 _Look at this picture. Everyone just look. Readers, this was captured last evening at the Yule Ball at Hogwarts. Do you see what I see? Harry Potter has made it official. He asked Draco Malfoy to marry him and dear readers, as you can see, he accepted. Harry Potter is off the market. Please, take the provided Kleenex and wipe your eyes. Miracles happen every day and today, I will admit that I was wrong. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy belong together. Yes, readers, I said it. They belong together. Look at them. No one can question their love. Dry your eyes and look forward to the wedding of the century. It will surely be the talk of the Wizarding World for months to come._

 ** _The End_**


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